KINGDOM HEARTS: A New Tale
by EPSIL0N
Summary: Post-KH2: Sora, Kairi, and Riku finally celebrate a joyous reunion. However, when the powers of darkness rise again, who else can step up in defense? Follow heroes as they visit old and new worlds alike in this plot-twisted tale of light and darkness.
1. Journey's End

**FULL .PDF VERSION:** Check out the profile for information regarding downloadable PDF versions of the story. Full PDF includes original art, bonus info, trivia, notes, etc.

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_**DISCLAIMER: **_Kingdom Hearts, Kingdom Hearts: Chain of Memories, Kingdom Hearts II, _and_ Kingdom Hearts 358/2 Days_ belong under the names of the Walt Disney Company and Square Enix. Names, places, items, concepts, and premade plots are their properties. I only own this original storyline and certain original characters and concepts for this particular piece._ _No copyright infringements are intended._

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Copyright © 2009 by EPSIL0N

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Chapter I:**

Sora looked at the small letter unfolded in his hands. His friends, Riku and Kairi, stood on both sides of him, curiously leaning over to investigate the contents of the letter. Sora chuckled, prompting a puzzled look from Kairi. The girl, who was the same age as Sora, had never experienced the adventures of the same magnitude that the two boys did. As for Riku, who was slightly older than Sora and Kairi, he had made journeys the same way Sora did―traveling across numerous worlds and conquering his own foes. Eventually, the trio found their ways and reunited. Through dangers and certain hopelessness, they made it through. It had been over a year since the trio's separation, to which Kairi suffered the most from. She was the one that was always protected by her two friends. She was the one that was left behind on their homeland, Destiny Islands. Though Kairi hated the fact that she was not the warrior type like Sora and Riku, she was simultaneously ecstatic when she saw Sora for the first time in over a year and realized that he was safe.

Kairi looked past Sora at Riku and noticed no puzzled look on his face, only a smirk. The older boy let out a small chuckle, a similar one to Sora's.

"Okay, guys, I don't―" Kairi mumbled as she couldn't settle into a good reading angle. "What's the letter say?"

Sora flipped the sheet of paper over, revealing an apt symbol, resembling a certain mouse's head.

"My best regards, Mickey," he read out loud, pointing to the bottom of the letter.

"Honestly, Kairi, you can't be that clueless, can you?" Riku asked sarcastically.

"Don't make fun of me, Riku; did you forget that I wasn't traveling with you guys?" Kairi countered, shooting him a dirty look. She smiled and turned to Sora. "So, what did the King say, Sora?"

"Not much. He just sent us his regards. He also says that he breezed through the worlds that we traveled through, too. No Heartless or anything. No signs of Organization XIII either! Wow, we really pulled through…" Sora said, finishing with a sigh. "Well, that's it for our adventures, I guess."

He rolled the letter back up and placed it in his pocket. Even through trouble and chaos, everyone emerged strong and victorious. After a brief moment of stillness, Riku left the group and treaded out to the beach and into the water.

"Hey, you two! Did you guys forget what we were doing before all this happened?" he asked, pointing out into the horizon. "My question about whether or not there are other worlds out there has been answered. But there's still time for a joyride though."

Sora groaned and sat down on the sand. _A week hasn't even passed yet from our return home and Riku now plans to set off again,_ he thought to himself. He looked up at Kairi, who was still standing next to him, and poked her.

"Hey, Kairi," he said. "Do you think Riku's crazy sometimes?"

"You're all pretty crazy to me sometimes! But yeah, Riku, don't you wanna just relax a bit before you get anymore 'adventurous' ideas in your head again?" Kairi answered, giggling from Sora's feeble jab. "Come on―we all just got back together, and plus, everyone on the island is planning on holding a little welcome back party for us! Let's stay for a while, okay, Riku?"

"Maybe later," Sora said, standing up again and patting off the sand on his pants. "I mean, we already got to see so many worlds! We'll go make another raft someday when we're all older and just drift the open sea, but not now, all right?"

"Okay, okay, you two. I got the message," Riku answered, throwing his hands up in defeat. "Let's stay here until life gets boring again, how's that sound?"

"Perfect," Sora and Kairi said in unison.

* * *

Destiny Islands was filled from one shore to the other with light, warm sand where homes and other structures were built on. Coconut trees were scattered or lined throughout the islands. From an aerial view, Destiny Islands resembled a paradise, with abundant greenery marking the beaches, clear-blue water enveloping the lands, and soothing sunlight radiating in the right locations with the ideal intensity.

Not far from their homes, the trio of friends attended their school, which was located near the heart of the islands. Unlike Kairi, who attended the school all throughout, Sora and Riku had not stepped anywhere near the school for quite some time. The eastern coast, where most of the trio's friends and acquaintances lived, was dotted with multiple log cabins and tree houses. Here, Sora and Riku spent their summers sparring or playing Blitzball with the neighboring Tidus, a young boy, and Wakka, a friendly older kid who was somewhat obsessed with his ball.

Sora walked along the edges of the eastern shores, listening to the birdcalls overhead.

_It's gonna be a good day,_ he thought.

It was the sixth day upon their return to Destiny Islands and residents planned to hold a welcome back party later on. Sora continued his way across the warm, sandy beach, taking in the summer air until he reached a small cave covered by vines and slight overgrowth. Every time he entered this aptly-named Secret Place, Sora surrendered himself to overwhelming series of nostalgic feelings. It was _their_ Secret Place.

"Sora?" a voice called.

Surprised, he tripped at the entrance, and slid a few feet into the Secret Place.

"Whoa, umm…" Sora stammered while he pushed himself off the cool ground. Slowly, he ambled further into the small sanctuary. "Kairi?"

"Sora? Is that you?"

No doubt it was Kairi, since Sora knew no one else on the island with long red hair. Sora went further into the cave and peeked in to seek out Kairi's figure.

"Yeah, it's me," he answered. "What're you up to, Kairi?"

Kairi was leaning by the walls of the cave, her fingers tracing old carvings and drawings that swathed around the cave walls. She continued tracing with her fingers, moving her body along the walls, she gradually stopped at a certain drawing. Kairi knelt down until her face was a mere inch or two from an old drawing. Curious, Sora squatted down next to Kairi and turned his attention to the same drawing.

"I cried a bit when I saw this the first time," Kairi quietly said all of a sudden. "It was sweet."

Sora smiled as he studied the simple drawings of Kairi and him exchanging Paopu fruits. The chalky texture still remained on the wall, with the illustration in perfect condition. Sora was pleased to know that the drawing had the chance to stay on the cave walls for, quite possibly, the rest of time.

"If two people share one, their destinies become intertwined. They'll remain a part of each other's lives, no matter what..." Kairi continued.

"Didn't Riku say something like that before?" Sora offered. "Silly Paopu fruits."

"He said that to you, too?" Kairi wondered, glancing at Sora from the corner of her eye. "Oh, he recently said it to me, briefly mentioning you, too. But I had no idea what point he was trying to make."

"Yeah, I told you he's crazy," Sora joked, looking away.

A few silent minutes passed as both Sora and Kairi knelt alongside each other, their hands tracing the outlines of the wall drawings. Kairi broke the silence again.

"Hey, Sora, I forgot to ask you," she said. There was a moment of hesitation, but Kairi resumed. "Did you ever get a letter from me? You know, when you were gone, before you and Riku came back home?"

Sora searched his pockets and slid out a folded sheet of paper, slightly crumpled, but all in all fairly neatly kept. Kairi beamed as she recognized the folded paper as the one she wrote on. It appeared that Sora kept that letter with him the entire time. A week, a month seemed like years; yet a year seemed like a day. It was the feeling that epitomized the contents of the heartfelt note. Sora unfolded the letter and involuntarily began to read the contents out loud.

"Thinking of you, wherever you are. We pray for our sorrows to end―"

"―and hope that our hearts will blend," Kairi joined in.

"Now I will step forward to realize this wish," Sora carried on with a genuine smile.

"And who knows: Starting a new journey may not be so hard or maybe it has already begun."

"There are many worlds, but they share the same sky…"

And both Sora and Kairi turned to face each other and recited together:

"One sky, one destiny."

Kairi smiled and slightly blushed, pulling some of her hair down to her cheeks to conceal the faint redness the best she could. Sora noticed the rare coyness from Kairi and slightly reddened himself. He heaved himself backwards and lied down on the cave floor.

"Uh, so―what, umm, what's up, Kairi?" Sora finally blurted out.

"I dunno, Sora, what's up? You haven't really settled down to tell me about your adventures."

"Hmm, yeah, I didn't do much storytelling yet, huh?" Sora thought a moment before shifting into a comfortable position on the ground, relaxing both his hands behind his head. "Okay, Kairi, where do you want me to start?"

Kairi giggled and eagerly lied down on the ground beside Sora.

"Hmm, let's see. Since we all got separated the first time," Kairi said slowly. "Well, 'cause… we didn't have the chance to actually relax together since then. We got to see each other, like, once or twice since then. And it wasn't for quite long either. So, c'mon, tell me what you've been doing all this time."

"Phew… you're asking for a long story, Kairi," Sora groaned. "But all right."

The two friends recalled their experiences and thoughts during the past year and half, from their first parting from home, to their feelings of dread and hopelessness from one point to another, their first reunion, the moments of experiencing happiness, sadness, shocks, and terror, and then to their second parting. Sora started off with the introductions of his established acquaintances with a royal court magician, Donald Duck, and a royal knight captain—the head guard, Goofy, after he, Kairi, and Riku were separated the first time. His adventures with Donald and Goofy spanned across various worlds filled with diverse heroes, villains, cultures, and backgrounds. Kairi listened intently without interrupting when Sora mentioned how throughout his adventures he battled his desperation to find Riku and her.

"I thought I was never going to see you guys again," he said.

"But you never gave up hope, did you?" Kairi inquired.

"I never did," Sora admitted. "And I forced myself back then to keep fighting so I never would."

His adventures eventually led him to the end of the worlds, finding a foe with Riku's appearance, which led to the final battle―or so he thought. When the battle ended with a victory for Donald, Goofy, and him, he was subsequently reunited with Kairi for one more time before otherworldly dimensions split, separating them once again.

"I was quite upset when that happened, you know," Kairi stated solemnly.

"Me too," Sora agreed. "But at least you were safe."

"Well, I _was_…" Kairi said with a small laugh.

"Yeah, save that story. It'll come together soon."

Sora continued, about how he later found himself shaken with distress from one phrase spoken by a man in a black trench coat: _Ahead lies something you need. But to claim it, you must lose something dear_. Kairi gave Sora a concerned look. Sora simply shook his head.

"But now we know that guy was from Organization XIII," he said. "Anyway…"

Later he, Donald, and Goofy found themselves in a mysterious castle where their memories dictated everything. Sora mentioned a familiar name to Kairi, of one he met while in the castle: Naminé. The twisting and distorting of Sora's memories while in the castle was finally forced away when Naminé put Sora, Donald, and Goofy to sleep. His memories of his experiences in Castle Oblivion were virtually erased. But during this time, in a span of approximately a year, Sora's real memories were restored bit by bit.

"Sleeping for a year?" Kairi asked.

"I guess. Thank Naminé for that," Sora replied. "If it weren't for her, I'm not sure if I would even remember anything about myself, you, Riku, and everyone else."

Kairi touched her chest for a second, and a brief silence slowly followed.

"She's in here now," Kairi said, directing her words at her heart.

"And Roxas in here," said Sora, putting his hand over his own chest.

"What did they say again?" Kairi asked as she looked up.

"Roxas and Naminé. We're them, they're us," said Sora. "They said something like… Anytime we're together, they'll be together."

"And we'll be together everyday, right, Sora?" Kairi said, reiterating exactly what she said at the climax of their last adventure together.

"Yeah."


	2. The Darkness Returns

**Chapter II:**

"Huh, scattered papers like garbage. I heard these are supposed to be highly respected and treasured reports."

On a remote archipelago―an unconnected world separate from all other worlds―lies a palace resembling a museum, isolated by rivers and Gothic stonewalls. The broad-shouldered Gylmer collected thirteen sheets of paper that were scattered across the library of the museum's tiled floor and placed them back into a glass case, which he then carefully placed onto a nearby shelf. Every so often, friendly, inquisitive travelers from outside worlds visit this Temple Key Museum. Here, to the scholastic travelers' delights, countless artifacts, treasures, and a myriad of other attractions were gathered from numerous worlds. Gylmer was one of four museum staff members, though he was the one who worked day in and day out to his full potential.

Late into the seasons, the museum's Gothic-themed library becomes off-limits to outside travelers. The woman in charge of library admissions was Silra, who much to the confusion of the other staff members, recently vanished. Consequently, Gylmer tentatively accepted the second job when no other staff members volunteered. The library, though off-limits in the late seasons to typical tourists, operated as a research facility for registered scientists or scholars.

Gylmer just stepped down from his stool when he heard the library's main gates open and close.

_Now who could that be?_ Gylmer mentally asked himself.

He quickly walked towards the lobby of the library, muttering in annoyance, as it was late at night and he spent nearly the entire day organizing. The vacant halls echoed with Gylmer's heavy footsteps, the sounds eerily rising in crescendos then falling into silence. Gylmer passed by a wall lamp, where he caught a glimpse of a small, solitary shadow not of his own, darting from the edge between the floor and the wall into a small crevice, vanishing from sight. The fleeting image did not bother Gylmer, as the bulky librarian continued his way to the library gates. He looked around the lobby for the unexpected visitor.

"Who's there?" he called. "The museum's library is closed and off-limits to tourists. Check back next season!"

Gylmer waited a moment for an answer back, or for some sign of the visitor.

"I can charge you for intrusion!" he added. "Show yourself!"

"Calm yourself, I am merely a curious investigator…" a baleful voice sounded from behind Gylmer.

Gylmer spun around and found himself facing a robed and caped figure, dressed all in black, that was most likely a woman. Her face was hidden from view, covered by a large hood and a black mask. In one hand she held a scepter of some sort, maybe a magic wand. In the other hand, she held a box with unknown contents. At first, Gylmer took a couple of steps backwards upon the sight of the mysterious guest, but when no threats seemed to unveil, he loosened his muscles and took a breath of relief.

"What―er―_who_ are you? How did you get through the locked gates?" stammered Gylmer.

"My name is of no importance," she answered with a displeasing cackle. "As of how I entered… I have my methods."

"Why are you here?" Gylmer answered, frowning at this peculiar situation.

"I already said, I am just a curious investigator―"

"What are you here for―"

"―looking for certain―"

"―I need verification, or at least some sort of―"

"―you need nothing, my dear host."

Gylmer frowned again; irritated by the lack of cooperation he was receiving. He crossed his arms and decided to approach the matter in a different way. Walking past the masked woman, Gylmer motioned his hands for the mysterious guest to follow.

"We'll take a seat," he said. "I will allow you to do whatever research you wish to do, as long as you answer my questions."

The enigmatic woman tilted her head and tapped her staff on the ground while in a pondering state.

"Intriguing… I accept your offer. Ask away."

Gylmer eyed his intruder distrustfully, as if he was readying to interrogate her. He cleared his throat in preparation.

"Answer this," he began. "Why or for what did you come here for?"

"Certain attractions interest me," she responded, simultaneously offering an irreverent sounding chuckle. "I know most certainly that they are here."

"What exactly would these 'attractions' be that interest you?" Gylmer asked carefully.

"I would prefer to show you what interests me by finding these items," the visitor said with another chuckle. "Accompany me if you wish."

Before another word, the unwelcomed guest stood up and headed for the elevators, apparently heading to the upper levels―to the actual museum. Gylmer spastically got out of his seat and pursued the peculiar visitor.

* * *

Much like a festival, the welcome back party for Sora, Riku, and Kairi included a plethora of food, music, and activities, highlighted with the bustling of guests from around the islands. At sunset, the trio sneakily wandered away from the party, strolled over to the quiet shorelines, and unwound on the sands. Looking out into the horizons was a favorite pastime of the three friends; Sora tossed flat stones across the water, Riku stood coolly by a sturdy coconut tree, and Kairi sat and relaxed on the beach. All three of them occasionally glanced across the ocean into the sun.

Sora threw one last stone, which skipped a dozen times across the surface of the water. He sighed and turned back to his friends.

"I can't believe everything's back to normal. Don't you think it's kinda weird?"

"Are you asking me?" Riku wondered as he kicked off from his coconut tree. "I don't find it weird. I find it pretty satisfying. No more problems, no more worries."

"Kairi?" Sora asked. "How about you?"

"I told you guys already," Kairi said with a smile, standing up. "I'm just glad you're both safe and back home."

"Well, yeah. But don't you miss the action and the feelings of adventure?" Sora continued. "Anyway, I do. I wouldn't mind setting off again."

Kairi grimaced, but Riku laughed quietly.

"Getting bored already? Haha, what did I tell you? We're explorers, adventurers―" Riku exclaimed. "Living on some islands for the rest of our lives just won't cut it."

Kairi sat down on the sand again and let out a long, dreary sigh. It was a sign that Sora would not let slip past him.

"What's up, Kairi?" he asked.

She hugged her knees together and mumbled something. Sora looked at Riku for answers, but Riku did nothing more than shrug his shoulders indicating nothing more than helplessness.

"Kairi? C'mon, what's wrong?" Sora asked again.

After a dull minute and a disorienting silence, Kairi perked her head up.

"If you guys ever set off this island again," she finally spoke. "Make sure you two don't go without me, okay?"

Sensing a change in mood, Sora took advantage of the moment and responded quickly.

"Uh, of course not, Kairi!" he announced, looking to Riku for assistance. "Whatever made you think that you'd be abandoned?"

"Yeah, Kairi, we're not that heartless…" was what the older boy mustered.

Sora winced at Riku's last word, but shook off the feeling.

"Yeah… we're not, Kairi. We'll take care of you."

Kairi beamed, "Thanks, guys."

* * *

Gylmer patiently accompanied the odd woman through the Temple Key Museum. Instead of further questioning, a tactic in which he ultimately gave up on, Gylmer decided to just await the outcome of the episode.

_It can't be too bad, can it?_ he asked himself.

The two people suddenly halted in their tracks when the cloaked visitor triggered a green spark in her wand, releasing an uncanny light across a wall. Gylmer raised his eyebrows in question,nothing interesting hung from the selected wall besides four key-shaped blades and twenty or so key chains. However, the woman seemed to be _very_ interested in the weapons.

"However did you manage to acquire these blades?' she asked.

Gylmer did not know whether or not he should say anything, but he decided talking would not hurt anyone.

"They were donated. By a king," he said.

The visitor examined every weapon, skimming the golden description plaques under each weapon.

"Yes… the Kingdom key chain… Star Seeker… the Oblivion, Gullwing, ah, even the Ultima chain… yes, yes…" she noted quietly, laughing menacingly. "The Keyblades and their key chains."

"The _what's_?" Gylmer spat. "Who the heck are you? You're an insane sorceress―that I know, but what do you _want_? Answer me! I've just about lost my patience with you!"

Hood down and unmasked, the sorceress turned to Gylmer, revealing deadened pale-green skin, her jarringly fluorescent yellow eyes, and her two devilish, horn-like adornments that rested on her head. Her black robes now hung smoothly over her sinister figure. She dragged herself slowly to Gylmer.

"And I've just about had it with _your_ stupid questions!" she hissed. "I've come for something… and it is not materialistic―"

"Who… are you?" Gylmer sputtered.

The dark sorceress cackled amusingly, her screech echoing off the museum walls. She turned her back to Gylmer, waved her wand twice through the air, and closed her eyes. Gylmer froze in place, as if his boots were cemented and fused with the floorboards, and watched powerlessly. In less than a minute, several hollow shadows began appearing on the walls and the floor of the museum, the same shadows that Gylmer noticed not a long while ago. He started to sweat as he noticed the shadows rise out of the ground and take shape into slender pitch-black entities with looming yellow eyes.

"Come my Neoshadows," she opened her eyes and turned back to the terrified Gylmer, "I am Maleficent. These are my Heartless. Care to join? I have a feeling that you are quite capable and maybe quite fond of combat…"

Gylmer, still paralyzed, strained as best as he could do move, but to no avail. Maleficent let out another evil laugh as she and her Heartless closed in on the victimized librarian.

"In a matter of time, you will no longer be Gylmer, the librarian. You will be Grymox, my Heartless commander. And I shall find your Nobody and take control of _him_ as well," Maleficent lifted her wand, ready to cast a spell. "I had a colleague of yours waiting… Silra, was it?"

Maleficent smirked when she noticed Gylmer's horrified expression.

"Now she is Syx," she added. "A Heartless commander like you soon will be!"

Gylmer roared in contempt as Maleficent pointed her deadly wand at his chest.


	3. An Omen

**Chapter III:**

King Mickey rose abruptly and violently from his workroom desk.

_I fell asleep? How?_

He rubbed his eyes and hopped off his oversized chair and ambled out of the royal bedroom. He was weary, as he just awoke from a troubling dream.

_Was it a dream? Even if it was―I take it as a bad warning…_

Mickey passed by and petted his dog, Pluto, as he made his way down a long flight of stairs, through the colonnade, and out into the courtyard. He was feeling strangely uncomfortable as he gazed into the starry night sky.

The king, following his gut feelings, rushed for the Gummi ship hangar under the courtyard. The launch crew, led by the chipmunks Chip and Dale, were busily maintaining and modifying a new Gummi ship. Mickey was pleased to see the two little critters working hard on the new, sleeker Gummi ship model. Though reluctant to disturb the chipmunks' work, he still eventually made his way into the hangar and signaled for the chipmunks to initiate a test launch for the new ship.

"But, your Majesty! I can say we're only halfway, maybe three-quarters done!" a confused Chip babbled in panicked tone. "Who knows what glitches or mishaps this model may cause!"

"Gee, fellas, I appreciate the work that you're doin', but I really got to check something out," Mickey explained. "I have this feelin' that something's gone wrong…"

"But what about the Queen?!" Dale spurted. "And the castle?!"

"Minnie will be in good hands. I trust that Donald and Goofy will be able to manage things while I'm gone," Mickey quickly proposed. "Anyway, I don't think I'll be gone for too long."

Without any further protests, the two chipmunks nodded their heads at the same time and proceeded to the control room. Mickey boarded the new Gummi ship, still a prototype, and awaited the launch.

_No doubt something is definitely up_, he thought. _I could use some help. First stop, Destiny Islands._

After a successful launch, Chip and Dale watched the flare from the prototype Gummi ship dim as the aircraft slowly disappeared from sight. With one quick glance at each other and another synchronized nod, the launch crew scampered their way out of the hangar, through the courtyard, and into the castle to notify the royal court magician and the royal head guard.

* * *

Despite the fact that he was sound asleep, Sora twitched in uneasiness, an unknown dream cursing his mind…

_[__They're back.  
They're all back.  
Nothing can get rid of them for good.  
There is no good, no light, no hope for a still end.  
The Keyblade is useless.  
What can you do? What can friends do? Nothing]_

Sora gasped as he abruptly sat up on his bed. He was perspiring furiously, though no fever plagued him. He glanced out his bedroom window―and when he saw only the dim moonlight; he realized that he unfortunately woke in the middle of the night. A long period of celebration kept Sora's mind keen and on edge, thus sleep was not on his agenda. He looked out of his bedroom window once more and scanned the houses towards the right shore. Kairi's home was pitch-black and seemed serenely quiet. Sora, scanning the houses on the left shore, found Riku's home lit in some parts, but was wrapped with the same peaceful silence. Giving up, Sora slumped back into his bed and drifted off into sleep after a prolonged while.

The following morning, Sora rolled off his bed with a grumble. The lack of sleep and the preceding nightmare left him with a splitting headache. Nonetheless, Sora slowly put on his attire and made his way out to the beach.

Riku and Kairi had already waited an hour before Sora finally emerged on the shorelines. Kairi immediately noticed Sora's lethargic and agonized appearance and rushed by his side to support him. Riku, while also noticing, shifted his eyes away and entered deep thoughts. Eventually, Sora was unable to continue walking due to the severe headache and slouched over in a loss of balance. Kairi, unable to hold him up, fell with him onto the sand. Riku broke his trance and sprinted over to aid his friends.

A look of predicament was fixed on Sora's face. Riku, still thinking and wondering, was the first to question.

"Sora, what's going on?"

"Ugh, no sleep and a bad dream," Sora groaned while he rubbed his head. "It's a bad combo."

Kairi was still concerned, _What dream can keep him up all night?_

"Was it really that bad of a dream?" she asked anxiously, sitting upright.

Sora nodded and Riku assumed the worst.

"Oh, man," Riku mumbled. In turn, Sora gave Riku a dazed and lost look of inquiry, prompting an explanation. "Sora, did your dream… say anything to you in particular?"

Straining to think clearly, Sora suddenly realized the depth and abstraction of his nightmare.

"The darkness has returned. They're back," groaned Sora.

He made an attempt to get back on his feet, slightly staggering. Kairi and Riku both lent him their hands for assistance.

"Thanks," he added.

"That's no ordinary dream," Riku stated. "It's more like an omen. We should be on a lookout for trouble."

An awestruck Kairi looked to her two friends for answers.

"It's the Heartless. They'll never be gone for good," Sora explained with a sigh. "That's what my dream said."

"We'll think of something if anything comes up," said Riku, noting Kairi's alarmed expression.

Sora winced; still under the duress of his headache―though his condition was improving―rubbed his head once again and tried to stand as vertically as possible. Kairi patted his shoulder reassuringly.

"Get some more rest, Sora," she suggested. "We'll be here when you wake up."

A bit unwillingly, Sora nodded and turned to make his way back into his home. He smiled though at the thought of his friends' generosity and support.

_We'll all go through with this together,_ he can hear them all say.


	4. Painful Departure

**Chapter IV:**

_[__They're all back.  
They're here―]_

"Ahh!" Sora suddenly yelled out.

The same nightmare shook him awake for the second time. Sora cringed at the aftershock of the dream, but it appeared that his headache was nearly completely dispelled. Sitting up, he made an effort to look out his window. It was nearing sunset and Sora spastically jumped off his bed. He was still fully dressed; the long nap he took rejuvenated him.

Just as Sora was about to open his bedroom door, he heard a creak and a skittering sound creeping towards him from the back. He quickly pivoted around and found himself staring at a small, shadowy black figure with deadly, gleaming yellow eyes.

_Oh, no,_ Sora wanted to say.

As a reflex, he stuck his hand into the air, as if trying to catch a hold of something. And when a few seconds passed without a desired result, Sora remembered…

"This is not good," he said to himself. "I forgot I don't have the Keyblade anymore."

Without wasting another second, Sora quickly dealt a powerful, swift kick at the intruder, sending it crashing through the bedroom window. Sora hurried out of his house, only to find himself staring and utterly stupefied by the sight he took in. A vast sea of blackness rose from the waters and onto the shorelines, the creatures slowly marching, creeping, and skittering little by little onto the island.

"Sora! Over here!'

Sora heard a familiar voice and looked towards a nearby cliff, where he saw Riku standing.

"Get over here, Sora! You're not going to last by simply standing there!"

Without hesitation, Sora worked his way through the wave of black and climbed his way to Riku. The two friends then gaped at the ever-increasing numbers of intruders.

_The dream really was a warning,_ Sora noted to himself.

He glanced at Riku, who stood his ground and continued to observe the surroundings. Riku stuck out his hand the same way Sora did before and waited a few seconds. Receiving the same result as Sora did, namely nothing, he looked at his hand in defeat then turned to Sora.

"I tried, too. But remember? We thought we didn't need them anymore," Sora recalled. "We can't call for them now, we have to actually go and get them…"

"So how else are we gonna take out all these Heartless?" Riku asked. A minute passed with the two looking at the sea of Heartless covering the beach, hearing nothing but the fleeting wind and great waves crashing by the shores. "Any ideas, Sora?"

"Get Kairi," said Sora. "I'll stall for time―"

"You get Kairi," Riku broke in. "Let's agree that I have a bit more endurance than you as of now. I'll stall and hold them off, you go and find Kairi."

Sora briefly scowled at the comment, but nodded and ran down the back of the cliff, heading for Kairi's home. Riku leapt off the front of the cliff and smiled as he greeted the first few Heartless before him. Sora continued his way, but glanced over his shoulder numerous times to keep track of how his friend was faring. Riku, true to his word, was doing an excellent job holding back the small Shadow Heartless. In an array of dropkicking, beating, and flipping the Heartless in every direction, the experienced warrior made short work of his foes. A little more at ease, knowing that Riku was perfectly capable of handling issues on his own, Sora doubled his pace for Kairi's home. When he finally arrived at his destination, he speedily scaled the house's walls and peered into Kairi's room.

"Kairi, you in there?" Sora called, gently tapping on the window. "Kairi! We've got serious trouble, where are you?"

Kairi's face appeared on the other side of the window, to Sora's relief. The first time the Heartless invaded Destiny Islands, Kairi vanished and brought about the trio's first separation.

"Sora! What's… going… on…?" she asked after quickly opening the window. She peered over Sora's head and caught the sight of Riku battling the infinite Shadow Heartless army and cried out. "We have to help him!"

"I know, but first we have to get you out of there, it's not safe!" Sora replied.

"I'll meet you at the door," Kairi swiftly approved.

Sora slid down the wall and ran as fast as he could around the house to the front door. Unexpectedly, a Heartless rose from the ground and grabbed Sora's leg. The Shadow's light weight barely slowed Sora down, so Sora merely shook his leg and continuously punched the Heartless until its grip loosened. Like Riku, he whirled around and kicked the creature into the overgrowth.

_It would be so much easier if I had my Keyblade—_

Sora felt his hair rise when a sudden yelp filled the air.

"Kairi!" he yelled, this time tripling his pace for the door.

The girl was surrounded by a dozen or more Heartless, each and every one of them inching closer and closer with their claws extended. At the last moment, before the Heartless struck, Sora hurtled into the squad and drew the attention away.

"Run, Kairi!" he yelled. Kairi, instead of turning the opposite way, rushed into the Heartless squad the same way Sora did before. "Kairi?!"

"I said before that I'd fight. This time, I _will_ fight!" Kairi declared as she pulled Sora out from the pile of Shadows.

* * *

Breaking through the skyline barrier of any far-off world requires knowledge and proficiency, which Mickey has. Exiting the void, Mickey's Gummi ship, which he settled on naming the Celsius, appeared through the cloudy skies around Destiny Islands. With skill and ease, Mickey smoothly landed the Celsius on the sandy beach. Dressed in a hooded black overcoat, the king stepped out of the airship and was immediately greeted by a weary Riku, who heard and saw the massive Gummi ship land.

"Mickey… there's just," Riku forcefully punched off another Heartless, "So many. And we don't have our Keyblades…"

"Riku! your Majesty!"

Sora, with Kairi directly behind him, dodged multiple Heartless attacks and made his way to Riku and Mickey.

"Where did all these Heartless come from? I thought we took care of everything already!" Sora exclaimed. "We can't get rid of them like this, they just keep coming back."

"As long as there's a lotta darkness in people's hearts, Sora," Mickey started, pulling down his hood. He turned away, though, put his hood back up, and motioned to the Celsius. "There will be more Heartless."

Sora, Riku, and Kairi, still punching and kicking the inflowing Heartless, stood their ground. When Sora saw Mickey's motioning, he nearly choked.

"What?" he blurted. "But we can't just _leave_, King Mickey! The island will be overrun!"

"If all of you don't come with me now, your world won't be the only one that'll be overrun," Mickey responded, continuing to motion to the Celsius. "Now let's go! We'll come back and clean the mess up later! I promise."

Sora looked at Riku, then at Kairi, both of them giving Sora a quick nod in agreement and dashed towards the Gummi ship. Sora, gazing one last time at the islands and the swarming, overwhelming Heartless, sighed in defeat and made his way onto the ship.

Before taking off, the trio each gave Destiny Islands a saddened look, none of them enjoying their departure. Mickey, at the pilot seat, tried his best to calm the three teenagers' nerves.

"Ya know, the little Heartless can't do much by themselves. They need a leader."

"What are you saying exactly, King Mickey?" Kairi asked.

"I'm sayin' that the people you know aren't in too much trouble if they just stay away from the Heartless," Mickey sighed. "Let's just hope your friends down there won't be too reckless."

"Tidus and Wakka might be those reckless ones…" Sora began, as the trio exchanged glances.

"Don't say that, Sora. I know they'll be smart and do what's best for them and everyone else," Kairi interjected. "We'll be back in no time and help them all out."

Mickey nodded and smiled.

"Welcome aboard, Kairi. I'm sure Sora and Riku are both very happy to have you with them right now," he said, winking at Sora and Riku, who were both grief-stricken. "Cheer up, fellas, it's not the end yet. Hang on, we're taking off!"

The Celsius extended its wings and retracted its drawbridge and wheels, knocking away clinging Shadow Heartless. With a torching boost, the Gummi ship shot off into the night sky. At the controls, Mickey set the destination for Costa Island. Sora slid up the aisle and sat alongside Mickey.

"Costa Island? Where's that?" he asked.

"That, Sora, is where the Keyblades are," Mickey explained. "Not to mention Ansem's Reports and a buncha other stuff."

Riku, hearing the word 'Keyblades,' also slid alongside Mickey.

"Good," he said. "Then we can come back here and wipe out all those Heartless."

"Your Majesty, why are the Keyblades there in the first place?" Sora asked in curiosity. "I thought when me and Riku returned home, you took our Keyblades away for safe keeping or something—"

"That was bad judgment on my part, fellas. I thought our troubles won't be so great anymore so I locked all the Keyblades away in a museum on Costa Island," Mickey admitted, averting his eyes. "Well, I knew the Heartless and the Nobodies were still around, but I didn't think someone was still—"

The king suddenly paused with his mouth slightly opened, his eyes indicating a new realization.

"Someone was still, what, King Mickey?" Kairi asked, sliding up to join with the group.

"Maleficent! I forgot she was still out there!" Mickey angrily shouted out, pounding a fist on the counter. "Oh, how could I be so careless?"

He rubbed his face gently, showing his weariness.

"She's definitely the one behind all this," he continued. "We gotta stop her…"

Sora and Riku glanced at one another again, the same thoughts running through their heads: _I guess we're up for another adventure._

"Hey Kairi, you don't mind tagging along for another adventure, would you?" Sora asked.

Kairi, who had been in a somber mood for the past few hours, finally smiled.

"I'd be more than happy to tag along," she said.

_[__This world has been connected.  
Tied to the darkness… soon to be completely eclipsed]_

_ It happened before, and now it happened again,_ he noted to himself, slouching back into his seat.

The party traveled with no disturbances through the void, effortlessly making their way to Costa Island. Sora, Riku, and Kairi eventually drifted into sleep due to the overwhelming exhaustion. But in approximately an hour, Mickey alerted the drowsy teens and notified them of their arrival.

"Costa Island. We have to find the Temple Key Museum. That's where I placed the Keyblades."


	5. Retrieving the Keyblades

**Chapter V:**

The Heartless commander, Grymox, led Maleficent back into the library to where Ansem's Reports were stored. Encased in a glass case as the ex-Gylmer had left them, Ansem's Reports were now at the hands of the wicked Maleficent. She transferred the thirteen sheets of paper into her own box.

A crash sounded right above the library. Maleficent ordered Grymox to investigate and the Heartless commander dissipated into the air, making his way to the upper story. In the meantime, Maleficent took the time to read the beginnings of Ansem's Reports. From her own analyses and personal researches, Maleficent came to the conclusion that the code-named DiZ, _the_ actual Ansem, or also known as, "Ansem the Wise," was exterminated.

_A pity,_ she thought.

Her own investigations also led her to the result of finding all Organization XIII members: Xemnas, Xigbar, Xaldin, Vexen, Lexaeus, Zexion, Saïx. Axel, Demyx, Luxord, Marluxia, Larxene, and Roxas, defeated or reduced to nothingness and out of existence.

Still, to Maleficent's joy, the Heartless and Nobodies still existed through the worlds, uncontrolled and hidden in the darkness. Unopposed, the sorceress devised her plans to control and multiply the remaining Heartless and Nobodies to once again attempt to create a dominion over all the worlds and unlock Kingdom Hearts for herself. Ansem's Reports will be her guide to the knowledge and backgrounds of darkness, the heart, and the Nobodies. Grasping the thought, Maleficent remembered her plans to find the Nobody half of her new Heartless commander, Grymox. She took back the Reports and began to make her way out through the library gates…

"Maleficent!" an all-too-familiar voice called

The sorceress turned around and scowled. There they were: her old nemeses. Sora, Riku, Kairi, and King Mickey all stood alongside each other, their enraged stares aimed straight at her. When the four charged, Maleficent waved her wand once and disappeared upwards through the ceiling by the means of a seeping green flame. Mickey scrambled for the staircase, motioning for the trio to follow him.

"Quickly, everyone!" he announced. "I know she's up to no good…"

On the second story, Maleficent caught the sight of Grymox fighting a white-attired figure, another bulky man. Maleficent summoned an impious spell that bound the unknown man and immobilized him. Grymox, stepping back in silence, allowed Maleficent to carry out her own plans.

_Well, well,_ she reflected. _T__his must be his Nobody. I didn't think the Nobody would be born so close to the original spot_.

"Well done, Grymox," Maleficent turned and said to her Heartless commander. "You found his Nobody."

The paralyzed man tried to twist and squirm his way free, but the spell was too powerful for him to liberate from.

"_Nobody?_ What are you talking about, Maleficent?!"

Maleficent laughed, amused at the fact that the Nobody still held onto some of Gylmer's memories.

"What is your name?" she asked.

"Name?" the Nobody thought for a moment. "My name…"

"Your name is Xymgrel. You are the Nobody of the no longer existent Gylmer," Maleficent carried on, remembering the trend used to name Nobodies. She turned to her Heartless commander. "Xymgrel, meet your Heartless, Grymox."

"What the heck are you blabbing about?" the Nobody spat in frustration. "Let me go! My name is not Xymgrel!"

Maleficent pointed her wand at the paralyzed man and summoned another spell. At once, the objecting man became quiet, the voice in his eyes immediately dying out. An occasional twitch and wriggle from the Nobody came about, but the complaints and curses ceased. Maleficent smiled at the result and bent down to the floor to talk to her conquered victim.

"Now, what is your name?" she whispered.

"My… n-name," the Nobody answered sadly. "…Xymgrel…"

"And Xymgrel, who do you serve?"

"I serve no one!" the aggravated Xymgrel bellowed in fury. He clenched his fists weakly and sputtered madly. "I remember you… you're trying to use me… like you did to my friends!"

Maleficent laughed again at the Nobody's superb memory.

"Silra is long gone, my dear friend. Like you, all she is now is a Heartless and a Nobody. You have your Heartless," she pointed at the neighboring Grymox. "And you, the Nobody."

"Where is she?" Xymgrel growled.

"You'll see her," Maleficent answered slyly. "In exchange, you will promise your service to me and me only, Xymgrel."

Seeing no other alternative, the conquered Xymgrel surrendered.

"Fine, then. I will do your bidding, Maleficent," he said. "However, I will _not_ let you control me. I will do what you order, but I will _not_ give up my freedom!"

Maleficent knows that Xymgrel cannot escape her. Even if he does rebel, she can instantly launch him into a wall and lock him away for eternity. The sorceress wondered how long the memories will last in the Nobody's mind. It seemed evident that the strength of this entity rested there.

"You are strong. Good, you will serve me well," Maleficent sneered. She retrieved her binding spell and allowed Xymgrel to stand up. "You have powers now, do you know? Appreciate the fact that I granted you these powers as they will serve you as much as they will serve me."

Xymgrel looked at his hands for a few moments before he submitted. The Nobody and the evil sorceress continued to compromise and discuss their intentions for a period of time until Sora, Riku, Kairi, and Mickey finally charged into the scene and made their appearances.

"Gylmer! Oh, Gylmer, how could this have happened to you!" cried Mickey.

"Haha, my 'king,' poor Gylmer had a weak heart," Maleficent taunted. "It was more than easy to convert him into a Heartless."

Mickey angrily glared at Maleficent then at Xymgrel,

"Gylmer, snap out of it!"

"I am Xymgrel, Your Majesty," the Nobody declared. "Gylmer doesn't exist anymore, I'm sorry…"

"Xymgrel?" Sora asked, but then came to an understanding. "A Nobody, huh? Ugh, it's starting all over again."

The trio stood a few feet behind Mickey, who was still disputing with Maleficent and her two new henchmen. Riku tapped Sora on the shoulder to grab his attention.

"We need our Keyblades," he whispered. "Badly."

"Yeah, they're in here somewhere," Sora pointed out. "King Mickey said they're in the museum… and well, this is the museum, isn't it?"

"Should we go and find them?"

"We can't just ditch the King, Riku. What if something happens while we're gone?"

"It's not like we can help with the situation either. We don't have weapons or the ability to cast magic spells as of now."

"Maybe one of us should go."

"I'll go, Sora," Kairi joined in.

Sora hesitated, but Riku came out with a direct answer.

"No, Kairi. The Keyblades must be protected by some kind of anti-magic shield," Riku explained. "That's why Sora and I can't summon them. If you go alone, I don't know if you'll be able to accomplish anything. There has to be some other way to get them."

"We might all have to go," Sora noted. "We're just gonna have to hope King Mickey stays safe while we're gone."

"Let's hurry then," said Kairi.

The trio silently snuck away from the scene to search for the Keyblades while Maleficent and the two derivatives of Gylmer stood motionless, each one carefully eyeing Mickey.

Sora, Riku, and Kairi ran as quickly as they could while searching the walls of the museum for anything resembling key-shaped weapons. However, their hunt was suddenly slowed down by the presence of Heartless warriors. Neoshadows: the advanced, larger, stronger, and more aggressive brethren of the small Shadow Heartless that invaded Destiny Islands permeated the walls. Sora, knowing what the Neoshadows were capable of, alertly shouted out for Riku and Kairi to flee as fast as they could to evade the Neoshadow attacks. With timely success, the trio rushed through the halls with the Neoshadows vanishing into the darkness behind them.

"There, guys," Kairi whispered. She pointed to a boring looking wall, but on it hung four Keyblades and over twenty keychains. "The Keyblades."

Sora attempted to reach for the weapons, but an unidentifiable force pushed his hand back. Sora, scratching his head in question, tried again, but received the same result. Riku stepped forward to make an effort, but also accomplished nothing. Then Kairi tried, but she also produced no positive results. The trio simply stood staring at the hanging weapons and pondered.

"There has to be something controlling the shield," Riku suggested.

He looked around the walls for a switch or a control of some sort. Sora and Kairi followed his actions and studied the surroundings for any answers. Nothing. Sora tried his best to keep track of the time, but unfortunately, he felt that the fruitless searching did them no good. Out of frustration and desperation, Sora grabbed the nearest object, a large metal artifact resting on a wooden pedestal and smashed it against the wall with the Keyblades. The brutal action pushed the object through the shield, shattering the artifact and knocked off all the Keyblades and a few keychains. Sora, utterly confused with what happened, chuckled at his actions. Riku burst out laughing and Kairi simply stared at Sora with wonder.

"Nice, Sora. That was… effective," Riku said through stifled laughs.

Kairi went by the wall and retrieved the knocked-down Keyblades and keychains. She felt the area where the shield was and felt a force pushing her back.

"It must be an organic shield or something. That's why another object could go through it and not our hands," she commented.

"Probably," Sora said. "Anyway, let's see here."

He picked up his Keyblade, the Kingdom Key in its original form. Riku picked up his Keyblade, namely The Way to the Dawn. Sora browsed some of the fallen keychain, searching for the most powerful one: the Ultima chain. He glanced up at the wall to see which keychains failed to fall. The keychains that form the Hidden Dragon, Photon Debugger, Circle of Life, Guardian Soul, and Fatal Crest Keyblades are all roughly nailed to the wall. And the Ultima chain, to Sora's disappointment, was also still fully attached to the wall. However, out of the remaining keychains on the ground, one stuck out to Sora: the Memories Past keychain, which formed the Oblivion Keyblade.

Sora grabbed the keychain and attached it to his Keyblade, changing the Keyblade's form into a sleek, dark-colored weapon of choice. Sora swung around his Keyblade adeptly and artistically, and though he still preferred the Ultima Weapon, he was just as satisfied with using the Oblivion. He caught the sight of Riku also testing his Way to the Dawn Keyblade. But then he saw Kairi, still unarmed.

"Kairi, where's your Keyblade?" Sora asked, somehow figuring the girl would be able to hold onto one.

"Huh?" Kairi responded, surprised. "You mean, you actually want me to fight alongside you guys?"

"Aw, gimme a break, Kairi! Of course I _don't._ I would very much like to know you're safe all the time instead of kicking Heartless butt," Sora answered disdainfully. "But I know you've got a very strong heart, so, yes. Fight alongside Riku and me."

Kairi smiled earnestly and Sora handed her the fourth Keyblade, a mysterious, unnamed weapon with no history.

"Oh, this is the same one that Riku gave me when we were in Organization XIII's headquarters," Kairi recalled.

Sora figured. Perhaps that subtle memory of Kairi temporarily wielding a Keyblade at one point prompted him to make the offer. Kairi dug into her pocket and withdrew the lucky charm, the Amulet of Promise that Sora returned to her. Sora, stunned that Kairi still carried that charm with her, stood by while Kairi attached it to her Keyblade, instantly forming the Oathkeeper.

Holding both his Oblivion and Mickey's Keyblade, namely one to the realm of darkness, Sora called for Riku and Kairi to hurry with him back to Mickey. Riku eagerly charged ahead with his Keyblade in hand. Much to his contentment, Sora was surprised as Kairi held the Oathkeeper like a professional while she dashed to his side. Together, the two of them hurried on with Riku leading the way.

The trio halted in their footsteps as they came face-to-face with countless Shadow and Neoshadow Heartless in the corridors linking their prior destination and the room where Maleficent and Mickey were. Assuming their stances, Sora and Riku rushed first and started to clear a path through the halls. With each strike of the Keyblade, a defeated Heartless dispersed into the air, its remnants vanishing. All that remained in each of them was a liberated heart. Sora and Riku efficiently paved way and destroyed the Heartless that stood before them as Kairi guarded and covered the trio from the back. Efficiently, the three friends cut a track through the corridor with no serious difficulties and ignored the rest of the Shadow Heartless that trailed behind them. To Sora's relief, Kairi's unknown Keyblade was indeed a true Keyblade, being able to fully destroy an attacking Heartless with ease.

The trio hastily entered the room where the villains and Mickey were located and locked the doors to prevent the flow of Heartless. They scanned the room. It would have been completely silent if it weren't for the muffled noise coming from…

"Your Majesty!" the trio called at once and rushed to aid the bound king, who was struggling to break free of the ropes that tied him to the ground. Using their Keyblades, the trio cut off the ropes and then pulled off the gag that prevented Mickey from speaking.

"Thanks, guys," Mickey gasped as he readily accepted his Keyblade from Sora.

"What happened, King Mickey?" Kairi asked.

Mickey twirled his Keyblade for a moment, as if regaining the feel of the weapon. He then called off the blade and massaged his hands as he stood up.

"Well, that darn Maleficent caught me with her sorcery and Gylmer…" he paused and shook his head. "_Xymgrel_ and _Grymox_ manually tied me down. Then the three of them vanished and escaped."

"Sorry, your Majesty," Sora apologized, bowing his head.

"Gee, no need for that, Sora! If you three didn't get away to find the Keyblades, we probably all woulda been tied down." Mickey said half-jokingly. "And who knows, all of us would probably still be squirmin' on the floor still!"

Sora admired Mickey's enthusiasm and optimism. He raised his head and made an enthusiastic declaration.

"We'll stop them, King Mickey. Riku, Kairi, and I will find Maleficent and stop her!"

On cue, Riku and Kairi agreed.

"Yup, I know you will. But first, I gotta check back to the castle. The more help the better! After that, we'll make a speedy trip back to Destiny Islands," Mickey exclaimed.

"You mean Donald and Goofy?" Sora gasped, beaming with excitement. "They're gonna join and help us?!"

"They'll be more than happy to, Sora."

Sora, Riku, and Kairi exchanged joyous looks and promised to stick together through the rest of their journey. For the friends who were constantly separated in the past, little do they know, such a train of thought may be difficult to maintain.


	6. Touched

**Chapter VI:**

"Wak! He's gone _again_?" Donald screeched.

The two chipmunks nodded and told Donald what Mickey had said before he took off in the new Gummi ship.

"How long has he been gone for?" Donald questioned.

"A few hours," answered Dale. "Where's―"

"Ohh… why didn't you two tell me earlier!" Donald groaned.

"The castle's very big! It took us forever just to get here and find ya!" Chip reasoned. A short silence followed when Donald completely ignored the excuse.

"Where's Goofy?" Dale resumed.

"That big lug is probably snoozin' somewhere again," Donald muttered.

The chipmunks glanced at each other.

"Ya want us to find him and wake him up, Donald?" one of them said.

Donald started tapping his feet and thought for a moment, his arms crossed.

"Hmm… nah, you two go tell Queen Minnie," he said as he started to stroll off. "I have a good idea where Goofy is."

"Yes sir!" the two chipmunks answered in unison, scampering off out of sight.

_Why does he always run around lookin' for stuff?_ Donald angrily asked himself. He let out an exasperated sigh. A week of peace and everything turned upside-down again.

Then again, that was Mickey. Whenever Mickey sensed trouble, he was the first to set off in search for answers. It all started when the stars, the distant worlds began to blink out, to disappear, one by one from Heartless attacks.

_Oh no…_ Donald thought all of a sudden. He scrambled to the castle library.

And there he was―Goofy, the captain, the head of the castle guard, indolently sleeping on a chair by the bookshelves. Resisting the urge to shoot a bolt of flame or ice at Goofy, Donald withdrew his wand and walked over to the idle knight. With a speedy kick, Donald knocked Goofy off the chair and sent the hapless oaf sliding and crashing into nearby tables.

"Oopsy," Donald mumbled sarcastically.

"Gawrsh, you coulda just tapped me on the shoulder or somethin'," said Goofy as he yawned and stretched. He rubbed his head and slowly stood up. "So what's goin' on, Donald?"

"The king's gone missing again!" Donald quacked loudly. "And I bet I know why!"

"Huh?" Goofy asked curiously. Donald proceeded by telling him exactly the same story as the chipmunks, adding his hunches as to why Mickey left the castle.

"Hmm," Goofy wondered. "So are you sayin' that them Heartless and Nobodies are back again?"

"That's what I'm sayin', Goofy," Donald muttered.

"And you're sayin' that King Mickey's out lookin' for answers again?"

"That's what I'm sayin'," Donald muttered again.

Goofy hushed for a moment, apparently in some thought. Despite his outer appearance and his… well, _goofy_ behavior, Goofy has his inquisitive and philosophical side. As for Donald, the small duck was not to be taken lightly; as he can easily become aggravated and has virtually no patience at all. Goofy continued to tap his fingers while he rubbed his chin in deeper thought. Donald continued to tap his feet in waiting, but only for a minute.

"Well, Goofy?" he finally asked. "Got any ideas?"

"Gawrsh, this is… _pecooly_―"

"_Peculiar_, Goofy…" Donald droned monotonously.

"Oh, right. Peculiar. This is very peculiar, Donald."

"I know! I know! Now what do we suppose we do now?!" and irritated Donald sputtered.

"Well, didn't the King say that he was gonna be back soon? That he wouldn't take too long?" Goofy pointed out. Donald eyed him skeptically, but Goofy continued. "So why not just wait for him then?"

"Wak! He's the _k__ing,_ Goofy! You don't just let a king run around worlds unprotected!"

"I think King Mickey'll be fine," Goofy said with a hearty chuckle. "He's traveled before, I think he can do it again."

"Ohh…" Donald moaned. He gave up. "Fine, we'll wait for him. But only for a little while longer! Then we look for him―"

"And if we go look for him, maybe we can stop by Sora's and visit him too!" said Goofy, suddenly growing excited. "Maybe he can even help us find King Mickey again!"

"Good idea, Goofy. We'll do that."

* * *

A speedy take-off and another easy flight through the void allowed Sora, Riku, Kairi, and Mickey to save what could have been hours on their trip to Disney Castle. Uncomfortable with the fact that no Heartless or Nobody ships were in the vicinity of the paths that linked the worlds, Sora decided to ask Mickey if he had any idea where all the enemy ships were.

"No clue, Sora," said Mickey. "Maybe their numbers aren't great enough right now. We did get rid of most of 'em before."

Sora nodded, agreeing with Mickey's hypothesis. He settled back down between Kairi and Riku, forming a picturesque scene with the three of them physically being together for their first adventure.

_At least this time I can be comfortable knowing my pals are safe,_ Sora remarked to himself.

Satisfied, Sora slid down his seat into a more comfortable position. Next to Sora, Kairi was dozing off, her eyes half-closed and her head lopsided towards Sora. Riku, on the other hand, was not relaxing as he was fiddling with his Keyblade. With a little blink of light, Sora summoned his Keyblade. With a curious mindset, Sora tried to comprehend what Riku was trying to do with his weapon.

"What's up with your Keyblade, Riku?" he asked.

"Nothing's up with it," Riku answered casually. "It just feels a little different than from the last time I held it."

"Mine feels about right," said Sora, gently waving his Keyblade before him. "Maybe you never noticed the new feel. You know, after you left the darkness. Maybe your Keyblade's no longer held by that same darkness and… I dunno, how should I explain it?"

"Well, I'm not complaining or anything," Riku laughed. "It's not bad, I'm just saying it feels a little different, that's all."

"Here, let me―" Sora was interrupted with a sudden thud on his right shoulder. "Err… Kairi?"

Half of Kairi's body was now leaning on Sora, her head resting comfortably on his shoulder. Riku chuckled at Sora's absurd facial expression.

"What, did she scare you, Sora?" he joked. Sora glared at Riku.

"No… it was just―"

"Scary for you?" a hysterical Riku continued to joke.

Sora, instead of trying to think of something witty to counter Riku, ignored his friend with a fleeting wave of his hand. Kairi was sound asleep; battling Heartless was something she was not quite used to and Sora did not the heart to push her away and wake her up. He simply sat still and allowed Kairi to rest beside him.

"She likes it when you're next to her, y'know," Riku said in his normal voice, no longer uproarious with laughter.

Sora again glared at Riku. This time it was in a different way, unlike his fuming, irritated glare from before. This glare was a bewildered, somewhat stunned expression.

"H-huh?" he stammered. "What do you mean by that, Riku?"

"Oh, man, you're really naïve, aren't you? I mean that Kairi can't get you off her mind," Riku started, nonchalantly enlightening his young friend. "When we were in the Organization's headquarters―I don't know if you were there by that time―anyway, when I rescued Kairi from Saïx―after Saïx got away from me―all Kairi was saying was how badly she wanted to see you and how she would do anything to have you next to her from that point on.

"I wasn't surprised at how she felt about you, I mean… you two spent so much time together years ago, especially when Kairi just landed on our island. She had nowhere to go, she didn't know anyone. And you were the first to actually talk to her and welcome her. And then you have your little secret hideaway―"

Riku paused, trying his best to suppress the urge to laugh at Sora's shocked expression. He inhaled a deep breath of air and continued.

"Yeah, I know you two have your little _secret spot_," Riku reported. "I see you two go in there all the time―"

Kairi stirred a bit.

"Anyway, I figured you should know that about Kairi," he concluded.

Sora was completely taken aback, completely in indescribable awe, completely astounded. In all silliness, he sat in his seat with his mouth slightly ajar. Kairi was still leaning on his shoulder and Sora refused to move.

"Umm…" he tried to say.

"Hey, come on, just shut up," Riku said in a humorous tone. "Let things be for now, you two go settle it on your own later on. I've done my part."

_Let things be? Settle…?_ _Great, _Sora repeated to himself. _Well, whatever…_


	7. First Reunion

**Chapter VII:**

The Celsius hovered above Disney Castle, slowly making its descent. At the moment, it seemed as if the chipmunk launch crew was absent since Mickey could not establish any contact with the hangar personnel. Mickey handed the controls over to Riku as he leapt off the Gummi ship, which was hovering about ten feet off the ground, to manually open the hangar gates for the landing process. Though Sora was the more experienced one when it came to maintaining and piloting a Gummi ship, Riku had to take over seeing that Sora and Kairi were dozing off. Regardless, he landed the Celsius without any trouble.

"You three meet me in the audience chamber. I'm gonna go contact Donald and Goofy," Mickey said as he locked the hangar gates and dashed out into the courtyard.

Riku nodded and proceeded to wake Sora and Kairi up. He found the two leaning against each other, their heads and shoulders just slightly touching. Smirking, Riku waltzed over behind Sora's seat and briskly ruffled his young friend's hair. Flailing, kicking his legs out, and absently waving his arms in the air, Sora jolted up with a wholly lost look. Kairi woke up from the erratic shaking; and upon realizing that she was sleeping on Sora shoulder, she instantly had her face drowned with a deep red flush. Sora completely forgot where he was and immediately stood up in attempt to have his payback by charging into Riku. The two boys chased each other out of the Celsius, laughing and shouting constant insults at each other.

"C'mon Kairi!" Sora called from by the exit door as he followed after Riku. "Riku said we have to meet King Mickey in the castle's audience chamber."

Apparently Sora didn't notice that Kairi was still somewhat blushing, for he did not mention anything nor did he put on his classic puzzled look. Kairi sighed and shrugged as she unhurriedly made her way out of the Celsius. She could still see Sora trying to grab Riku's hair, but Riku was at least half a foot taller than Sora was, therefore he easily pushed Sora away during every attempt.

Kairi slowly strolled through the castle courtyard, exploring little by little while following the sounds her two friends' voices though the greenery. She had never been to Disney Castle, but Sora's stories of the royal palace were fascinating. Sora told her about the large, beautiful castle, the grandiose courtyard and the garden—where the trio was at the moment, the wonderful characters who live there, and the mystical cornerstone hidden in the depths of the castle. Eagerly, Kairi took in her surroundings: from the birds, the trees, the grass, to the nearly unnoticeable butterflies by the flowerbeds. Such sights calmed Kairi as she felt the corners of her lips curl into a smile. Sora and Riku called for her again and Kairi stood back up from her crouched position and ran after her friends.

Closing in on the trio were Donald and Goofy. Likely, Donald's patience must have worn thin in the wait for Mickey. These two royal attendants, focused more on their conversation than what was ahead of them, did not notice the three figures that were stationed less than ten yards away from them. Sora, Riku, and Kairi happened to be pretty much in the same states of mind, engrossed in their conversations and oblivious to Donald and Goofy. In a moment, though, the distance closed and two groups brushed past each other.

"Hey, Donald. Hey, Goofy," Sora said, barely noticing, still focused on Riku and Kairi.

"Hello, Sora!" Goofy responded, both Donald and he continuing past the trio.

The five characters ceased their movements all of a sudden. Simultaneously they all turned to face one another, with their widened eyes and limp, open mouths highlighting their amazed expressions.

"Donald! Goofy!" the trio called out excitedly, their arms raised high above their heads.

"Sora! Riku! Kairi!" Donald and Goofy cried out, rushing towards the three.

They all embraced in a short reunion, exchanging greetings and a few opening words. Sora, Riku, and Kairi shared with Donald and Goofy what they were up to after their return to Destiny Islands: from relaxing to receiving Mickey's letter, to their welcome-back party. The trio shared their opinions on past episodes and reminisced. In return, Donald and Goofy informed the trio on what they both were up to when they finally returned to Disney Castle: their own welcome-back party and the resuming of their duties around the castle. However, the recalling past events was cut short when Donald and Goofy decided to hurry off towards the Gummi hangar.

"Wait, where are you guys going?" Riku called out in question.

Donald and Goofy slowed down a bit and looked over their shoulders.

"We gotta find the king! He's missing again!" Donald replied.

"Uh, no, he's not," Sora said as his two friends and he looked to each other. This roused some suspicion and inquisitiveness in Donald.

"Err, what exactly are you three doing here anyway?"

Realizing that some more time might be used up again, Sora suggested that everyone head into the castle. The trio proceeded to discuss the recent happenings―about how Maleficent, the Heartless, and the Nobodies were returning to plague the worlds again. Sora, Riku, and Kairi each took out their respective Keyblades to verify their words. Donald and Goofy gaped at the Keyblades, with each brilliant weapon seeming to glow with ethereal phosphorescence, indicating the presence of an ever-growing number of Heartless forces. The trio then reported that, to Donald and Goofy's relief, Mickey _just_ went into the castle in search for them. Goofy rubbed his chin in thought again while Donald, more so out of spite, cursed the Heartless and the Nobodies. Riku waved the group forward.

"We're supposed to meet the king in the audience chamber," he said, directing his words at Donald and Goofy. "But he's out looking for you two, so I think one or both of you should go find him first, then meet us in the audience chamber."

"Good idea, Riku," said Goofy.

"I'll go find him," Donald suggested. "You keep our guests company."

With that, Donald left the group and speedily rushed down the halls out of sight. Goofy accompanied the trio to the audience chamber.

"Hey, Sora, what are you guys here with King Mickey anyways?" Goofy asked. "Wouldn't you three be fightin' Heartless somewhere or huntin' Maleficent down?"

Sora frowned and remained silent for a few moments as the group continued to walk. Kairi decided to answer.

"Our homes were invaded by the Heartless," she said somberly. "We didn't have any weapons at that time so we couldn't defend ourselves or anyone else…"

"Gawrsh, that's terrible."

"Yeah," Riku said. "We're supposed to return to the islands after the king finds you and Donald."

"We were wondering if you and Donald could join us in getting rid of the Heartless on our island―" Sora said, slightly slurring and mumbling.

"Of course we would, Sora!" Goofy responded almost immediately. He put one of his arms over Sora's back. "It'll be like old times!"

"Heh," Sora chuckled. _Old times. I wonder… _"Hey, Goofy, are you guys still in touch with Leon and the others?"

Goofy scratched his head, thinking slowly. Sora eyed him curiously for an answer.

"Are they all still at Hollow Bastion?" Sora asked further.

"Oh, that's right!" Goofy said suddenly, apparently remembering something. "After we beat Xemnas or… Xehanort… or something… someone―Anyway, after we beat him, Leon called His Majesty and said that Hollow Bastion was fixed. And then he said somethin' about finally going home―"

"Going home…?" Sora repeated in query.

"Wasn't his world wiped out by the Heartless?" Kairi asked.

"How did you know, Kairi?" Sora questioned surprisingly.

"After you rescued me the first time and left me in Traverse Town, Leon told me."

_Oh,_ _Traverse Town… that feels like such a _long_ time ago,_ Sora thought. He looked towards Goofy again, but Goofy casually shrugged. Sora asked anyway.

"What about Yuffie? And Cloud? And Aerith, and Tifa and Cid?"

"They went home, too," another voice broke in.

The group spun around and found themselves with Mickey and Donald. Goofy and Mickey exchanged their greetings and rejoined the group heading into the audience chamber.

"They went home, King Mickey?" Sora asked again.

"Yeah," responded Mickey, smiling. "Somehow a lot of worlds were restored after we all left…"

"But now they're all under threats again," Riku murmured.

"Right," Mickey said. "And it's up to us to fix everything again."

"I'm in!" squawked Donald, frantically waving his wand.

"Me, too," said Goofy.

"And us, of course," Sora said on behalf of Riku and Kairi.

Sora, Riku, Kairi, Donald, Goofy, and Mickey all put their hands together in one spot and nodded in solemn agreement to their duty. The group sat down in the audience chamber and prepared to plan their moves―where they should head first after Destiny Islands, with whom should they seek for assistance, and how they should manage on their journey. As they planned, Minnie and Daisy slowly made their way into the audience chamber, their melancholy footsteps light and steady, carefully listening to the emotionless planning of the group. Minnie and Daisy glanced sorrowfully at Mickey and Donald respectively, as both their companions were bound to leave yet again on another dangerous quest to save the balance of the universe.

"If we use up to much time on Destiny Islands we might not be able to make it through all the other worlds in time," said Mickey, shaking his head in frustration. "That would be the _worst_ case."

"Your Majesty, you can't possibly make me, Riku, and Kairi ditch our home!" Sora argued. He was a little angered by Mickey's words, but he tried to ease himself.

"I'm not sayin' that, Sora," Mickey reasoned. "But I am sayin' that we gotta keep a sharp lookout for time."

After another short period of thinking, Riku decided to make a few suggestions.

"If time is so important, maybe Sora, Kairi, and I can take care of the islands on our own. That way, Your Majesty, you, Donald, and Goofy can travel to other worlds first. Maybe you can find some help or investigate…"

"How will we be able to split up?" Kairi asked.

"Don't forget, we still have the Highwind," Donald snickered.

"Oh, yeah. That's right," Sora said, remembering the older Gummi ship that he was so used to riding and traveling to other worlds in. "I think Riku's idea is pretty good. We'll split up first, then meet up again."

"Where can we meet?" Goofy inquired.

"The Radiant Garden," Mickey declared.

At first Sora showed a perplexed look, but then understood. Aerith told him about Hollow Bastion's original name: the Radiant Garden.

"_Hollow Bastion_," Mickey added. "The place's pretty spruced up, or so I heard."

Aside from the trio, everyone nodded in agreement.

"And Sora," continued Mickey, "Aren't you a Hollow Bastion Restoration Committee Honorary Member?"

Riku was humorously counting how many words were in that title. Sora punched his shoulder lightly.

"Hey, Your Majesty, we're honorary members, too!" Donald sputtered irritably, pointing to Goofy and himself.

"Oh, that's right, my apologies, Donald," Mickey laughed. "Well, that all makes everythin' much easier to handle when we get to the Radiant Garden."

Sora and his friends looked at their own respective hands, giving their innovative plan a few more thoughts. Unlike his previous adventures, Sora felt safer this time around since planning was actually involved. When he landed in Traverse Town more than a year ago, when he first realized the importance of the Keyblade, he had no plans or ideas whatsoever. Everything he did, or attempted to do, back then was based upon instinct and adrenaline. When he awoke in Twilight Town on his previous adventure, he again had no plans set up in his mind. Although he had more of an understanding of the events that circled around him, he still acted primarily upon innate instincts and his own judgments. Thus, this new undertaking for him and his friends was a new experience for him.

"Mickey, will you be with Donald and Goofy while you are away?" Minnie asked.

"I will try my best to stick with 'em," Mickey said. He saw Minnie frown a bit at the response. "Gee, Minnie, I'll be okay. I'll come back soon. I'm sure Donald and Goofy and Sora won't let me get in trouble, right fellas?"

"You got it!" Donald, Goofy, and Sora called out, standing stiffly upright while saluting the king in the process. Daisy grabbed Donald's shirt and pulled him over to her.

"And you, too, Donald. Don't get involved too much! Do what you need to do and get back here safely, hear me?" she said, waving her index finger in Donald's face.

"Yeah, yeah, Daisy. I'll take care of myself," Donald droned.

Mickey, Minnie, Donald, and Daisy were still exchanging a few last minute farewells when Sora approached Goofy. The tall knight stood lopsidedly, examining his defensive shield.

"Do you have a family somewhere, Goofy?" Sora asked him.

The knight looked past his shield at Sora. He packed away the equipment and faced his old friend.

"Well, Sora. I got a son. His name's Max," he scratched the back of head casually. "He's probably fiddlin' with his doohickeys and things right now."

"You think we'll get to meet him after we come back?" Sora asked, indicating Riku, Kairi, and himself.

"Sure thing, Sora. I bet Max will be excited to see ya. I told him about you guys a little while ago." Goofy said cheerfully.

Mickey and Donald rejoined the group and signaled everyone to get ready to depart. Sora approached Riku and Kairi and waited for everyone to prepare. Mickey, Donald, and Goofy were to board the Celsius and leave for the Radiant Garden while Sora, Riku, and Kairi were to ride the Highwind back to Destiny Islands…


	8. Back to a Battered Home

**Chapter VIII:**

Launched. The Celsius blew past the hangar's exiting gate. In a moment, the Highwind promptly followed. Both Gummi ships then broke off in opposite directions―the first heading to one world, the second heading to another. Chip and Dale waved them off; then the two small chipmunks retreated back into the hangar and quietly locked the gates. They still have a job to do. They must keep up their surveillance, which will be twice as hard as before―for there were two, instead of one, Gummi ships to monitor this time.

The Highwind was a small, basic Gummi ship designed to simply fly through the voids between worlds. However, the Highwind still enjoyed an arsenal of accessories ranging from defensive gunnery and bright, bursting lasers, powerful engines for acceleration, to energy shielding. Thanks to Sora, Donald, and Goofy from their previous adventures, the Highwind was significantly upgraded into a more potent offensive aircraft.

Sora sat in the center, manning the controls of the ship. On opposite sides of him were Riku and Kairi, with Riku focusing on the weaponry mainframe and Kairi conducting the navigation systems. Though Kairi tried her best to keep watch, occasionally objects on the radar confuse her.

"Sora, there are a bunch of dots nearing the left of the ship…"

Riku got up from his seat and walked over to Kairi and analyzed the radar.

"I think we've got some trouble, you two," he reported.

"Alright then. Get the weapons ready, Riku. And our destination to Destiny Islands is set, right, Kairi?" Sora asked, taking command. Kairi nodded and they were locked in. "Okay, let's go."

A dark fleet of Heartless aircrafts loomed in the corners of the void, gradually approaching the Highwind. The waypoints to Destiny Islands have been plotted, so all Sora had to do was pilot the Highwind safely through the enemy fleet. It was not surprising for Sora to keep a calm exterior look during the chaos. Heartless attacks in between worlds were almost daily annoyances when Sora was traveling with Donald and Goofy. As for Riku, he was naturally used to chaos and combat. With ease, Riku carried out his duty and exterminated numerous Heartless crafts with mastery of the Highwind's weapon systems. On the other hand, the evidently tamer Kairi held steadfastly onto her seat and had her eyes tightly shut.

"You'll get used to it, Kairi," Sora joked.

"You better! We'll be going through a lot of these battles from now on," Riku joined in.

"I'm not scared," Kairi scoffed.

"Then why are your eyes closed, Kairi?" Sora asked.

"Ugh, Sora, keep your eyes focused ahead, will ya?" Riku groaned.

"There's too many bright lasers firing out there," responded Kairi.

"Well, either I defend us or we go crashing," Riku countered.

"These Heartless don't seem that hard to beat…" said Kairi after she opened her eyes.

A single laser from the Highwind easily dissipated any targeted Heartless craft. And with Riku's excellence at pinpoint shooting, the trio easily warded off the enemy attacks. By the time the Highwind broke through the first main Heartless division, Sora pulled the trigger and the Gummi ship accelerated at maximum speed into the void, too fast for any Heartless ship to pursue. Sora and Riku slumped into their seats, both swamped with heaving sighs of relief. Sora put the Highwind on autopilot as he turned his seat around to Riku, who was sitting a little further back to his left.

"So how do you like these Gummi ships, Riku?" inquired Sora.

"They're okay. Could've chosen a better name than 'Gummi' though," Riku said flatly.

"I think these ships are cool, Sora," Kairi said.

"Haha, thanks, Kairi," Sora said, briefly glancing at her. "But Riku here doesn't!"

"I said, 'they're okay!'"

"Yeah, yeah."

"Oh, man. I can't win against this kid…" Riku grumbled quietly to himself.

"What was that, Riku?"

"Nothing…. Nothing…"

"Hey, guys, I think that's the islands…?" Kairi whispered.

Approaching the sight of Destiny Islands, the trio shuddered at the view. A dark, stormy cloud enveloped the once cozy paradise. The Highwind broke through the heavy clouds and landed on the storm-torn beach. Aside from the blinding smog and eerie atmosphere, chaotic maelstroms by the shorelines wreaked havoc across the piers and bridges linking the islands.

The three friends disembarked and summoned their Keyblades. At the moment, there were no Heartless warriors in sight, but the trio remained vigilant.

"I wanna find the leader in charge of this invasion. Every single Heartless here's going down!" Riku roared as he charged into the nearest town.

"Riku!" Sora and Kairi called for him to stop, but with no success. The angered swordsman heard nothing but the voice of his own will.

"We have to go after him. Things don't seem to be in our favor," Sora noted. Kairi nodded and the two of them pursued Riku, who was slowly disappearing into the abandoned town.

It was a town that Sora rarely ventured into in his life on Destiny Islands. He had been to the majority of the towns and villages, but this town, Korale, rested in the heart of the southern coast. Conversely, Sora and his friends lived their lives on the northern coast. Though they often traveled to the southern coast, the trio entered Korale only a couple of times, usually to purchase supplies or for the purposes of other errands. It was once a peaceful, sunny town like all the other towns and villages of Destiny Islands, but now Korale appeared desolate. It was fogged and abandoned by all its denizens.

Though he was unfamiliar with the layout of Korale, Sora led the way with Kairi following closely behind him. Indeed it was a gloomy sight; the huts and few buildings were torn down, some plundered and ravaged, while others were piles of smoldering ashes.

"Sora, I'm scared," Kairi whimpered quietly.

"Here, just follow closely," Sora replied, reaching his hand behind him.

Kairi clung to Sora's offered hand and shortly, without warning, the two friends found themselves surrounded by flaming orbs. Sora browsed the surroundings again, but unluckily he lost sight of Riku, who probably speedily crossed Korale already. Sora felt the grip on his hand tighten as Kairi inched ever closer to him for protection. The flame orbs that surrounded them were unnatural, somehow forming a perfect circle around the two friends. Sora cursed himself for lacking the ability to cast magical spells.

_You still can. Need help?_

A familiar voice resonated in Sora's mind. For a brief moment, he felt Roxas' faint presence as he unconsciously murmured the Reflect spell.

"Kairi, quick! Dive through those flames," Sora shouted. Kairi looked puzzled. She glanced at the beaming, fire orbs and then glanced skeptically at Sora. "Just trust me, Kairi."

Kairi leapt forwards towards the flaming orbs and Sora muttered the Reflect spell, directing it around Kairi's body. Kairi let out a yelp as the orbs next to her exploded into grand conflagrations, yet she sustained no injuries. The orbs closed in around Sora, but with another Reflect spell, Sora dove through the orbs the same way, also sustaining no damage. Kairi grabbed Sora's arm to help him off the ground.

"We have to run, Sora. There are two red Heartless flying toward us―I think they're the ones that made those fire orbs!"

Pivoting, Sora turned to see the two particularly recognizable Crimson Jazzes. These colossal, flying red Heartless mages are capable of releasing fire-element mines that explode on their enemies. Sora knew how to defeat these foes, but he feared for Kairi's safety.

Kairi waited for Sora to run with her, but Sora shook his head.

"No. We can't outrun these guys. They're fast, and they're dangerous," he said. "Please, just stay put and out of sight…"

Sora took a single leap to face his two opponents, awaiting their attacks. As soon as the Crimson Jazzes began channeling their orbs, Sora assumed his battle stance in midair. When the explosions started, Sora initiated his retaliation. Kairi was still in the open, kneeling, but her eyes were squinted from the display of bright explosions. Luckily for her, the Crimson Jazzes had their attention focused on Sora alone. In a matter of moments, the myriad retaliating strikes from Sora cleanly removed the two Crimson Jazzes from existence, with Sora himself safe, unscathed, and completely unharmed.

"Kairi, didn't I tell you to hide or something?" he said with a smile as Kairi sat up and opened her eyes. He offered his hand again and pulled her to her feet. "At least you're still okay."

"Sora, I had no idea how you…"

"It's nothing, really," Sora chuckled and ignored Kairi's astonished remark. "C'mon, we have to find Riku. Who knows what kind of trouble he might've run into."

* * *

Riku's first thought was to cut through the vegetation that divided the northern and southern coasts of the islands. From there, he could travel first to his home to investigate his, Sora, and Kairi's village. However, on the way, Riku could not help but notice the lack of Heartless appearances. Before the trio departed, there were hundreds, perhaps thousands of Heartless creatures wandering and pillaging the islands. But now, Riku had not seen even a single one.

_Where could they all be?_

The question emerged a moment too late. Riku suddenly realized it was a possibility that they were all being watched. A dark puddle formed underneath his feet and effortlessly dragged him into the darkness.

* * *

Sora and Kairi quickened their pace. Riku left no footprints or hints as to where he headed, leaving Sora and Kairi confused and idealess. If Sora learned anything on his past adventures, it was to think promptly and efficiently. As a result, Sora leaned on the wall of a ruined hut and pondered for a minute. Kairi, on the other hand, took the time to examine the immediate environment. Charred. Trampled. There was no paradise left. Even mere icons of paradise, like coconut trees and lush vegetations, were ripped to shreds, blazed, or simply distorted beyond recognition. But then there was one enormous coconut tree that survived and was unscarred…

The discovery provided Kairi with an idea. She made her way to the tree and began to climb. The ridges on the tree trunk made it easy for her to maintain her balance and grip, so she made it to the tree canopy in little time. Though continuing to devise some workable plan, Sora watched Kairi make her way to the top of the tree, wondering what she was up to.

"Kairi, what are you doing up there?" he asked. "You're gonna get yourself in danger! Try to stay out of sight!"

Kairi slightly ducked behind the giant leaves. Looking down from the height suddenly made her realize the risk she was taking.

"This is probably the highest point on this side of the island. I think we can see for a few miles from here," she said. She swallowed a bit after gazing down from the tree. "Um, maybe we can find Riku from up here and maybe even a safe path to travel on."

Sora left his spot and climbed up the tree just the same. He analyzed the surroundings and approved.

"Yeah, you're right. This is a good spot. But…" he squinted his eyes. "I don't think I see any signs of Riku, or any of the other townspeople."

Joining in the investigation, Kairi scanned the island. Since most of the island was completely out in the open due to it being burned, crushed, or razed, searching for any signs of life was not supposed to be a difficult assignment.

"Maybe everyone's hiding in the buildings," Kairi suggested.

"Maybe," Sora responded. "We'll just have to see for ourselves, I guess."

Before the two could make their descent, more airborne Heartless appeared. Sora looked down below and found himself staring into the glowing yellow eyes of Shadows and Neoshadows. They were surrounded: by land and air. The Shadow Heartless began their ascent on the tree trunk and Sora and Kairi were faced with another predicament. Sora stood up and Kairi clung tightly onto him.

"Sora, what are you doing?!" she cried out.

"Well―we don't have any choices do we?" he said.

"W-what are you planning on doing…?"

Sora smirked a bit. Kairi looked as if she was on the verge of fainting.

"We're gonna have to jump."

"Oh no," Kairi moaned. She glanced down the tree again. "You did _not_ just say we have to jump."

"Yeah, we're gonna have to jump," Sora repeated.

"But we're about sixty feet in the air! We'll be shattered into pieces―"

"C'mon, you're the one that climbed up here first. Close your eyes then," Sora said as he bid Kairi to hold on tightly—as if she weren't already. "I have a good feeling about this."

"Really? Well, I _don't_," Kairi grumbled as she tightened her grip. She let out a helpless yelp as Sora made a long leap off the coconut tree.

The airborne Heartless accelerated after the two friends while the Shadows and Neoshadows left the base of the tree in chase. Sora himself had his eyes closed. Before Kairi and he landed on the hard ground, a dark puddle, similar to the one that swallowed Riku, opened up beneath them. Sora and Kairi continued to fall, through the air, through the ground, and into the darkness.


	9. The Mind Keeper

**Chapter IX:**

Riku's mind was swirling as he felt himself slipping in and out of consciousness―or so it seemed that way, but he felt himself standing sturdily. Eventually, his dark, voided surroundings dispersed and began to resemble the familiar tropical paradise of Destiny Islands. Normally, Riku would be able to differentiate between illusions, as this falsified version of the islands evidently was, but being that he was semiconscious and heavily dazed, Riku could not help but wander aimlessly into the deception set up for him.

As he continued to stroll absently past the shores of white sand into the lush greenery, another dark portal opened up in front of him. To this, Riku took notice of. Thus, the young warrior was sucked in without showing any resistance.

But just as the illusion vanished with the portal that claimed Riku, in the dark atmosphere two other figures appeared, equally dazed and bewildered. Sora and Kairi stood their ground, waiting to regain control of their senses and for their minds to fully clear. Unbeknownst to the two, Riku was already transported to another world.

At the sounding of a creak and a perplexing bubbling noise, Kairi first fully regained her awareness and realized the dark void was once again sucking Sora and her into the ground. Trying her best not to panic, Kairi struggled to pull Sora forward and get him to start walking. All of a sudden, Sora started to stagger, but he commenced walking, ever so slowly.

"Sora, are you okay?" Kairi asked.

He was still traveling between dream and reality. He mumbled something.

"Sora?" Kairi asked again. She gently shook her friend and patted his arm. "Sora, stop scaring me like that. Wake up!"

"Argh!"

Sora groaned quietly and began limping. He cried out as he became fully conscious of his physical being and his surroundings. With no other choice, he buckled down.

Kairi was about to kneel down with him, but remembering that the void was capable of enveloping them―and who knows what else, she bid Sora to stand up and to continue moving.

"What's wrong? We have to keep moving, Sora," she pleaded. "The ground's going to suck us in again if we stay still in one spot."

"I'm fine, but I think I might've sprained or even broken my leg…" Sora said, groaning again as he tried to stand and regain his balance.

"Oh, no. And you call that 'fine?' Sora…" Kairi frowned as she examined Sora's leg. "Actually, it's your ankle… but that's what you get for jumping! You bum―"

"Hey, better just me breaking my leg than both of us getting butchered by Heartless."

_How very noble,_ Kairi thought with slight sarcasm, but gratefully and earnestly, nonetheless. She smiled and Sora awkwardly smiled back.

"Hey, you, lean on me. I'll help us get out of here." Kairi suggested.

Sora poked his ankle and winced.

"Umm, if only I could remember that healing spell," He said, scratching his head. "I could easily heal any injury."

_Cure,_ sounded Roxas' voice.

_Yeah, I know. I think that's it,_ Sora noted to himself.

He put in some thought, attempted to channel some inborn energy through his blade, and muttered the Cure spell, directing the power at his ankle. Kairi watched curiously as a green, smooth wave of energy wrapped around Sora's ankle and melted through his skin. The Keyblade master twitched his ankle and rotated it a few times and nodded with satisfaction.

"Alright. I got it," he declared. "It should be fine now."

"You really _are_ something, Sora," Kairi commented. Duly, that comment won her another awkward smile from Sora.

To the two friends' fortune, the darkness gradually cleared, but sadly only to reveal the same decimated towns and villages as before. Though they were no longer in Korale, as they stood in the center of a different village, the relative aura emitted from the environment felt the same for both Sora and Kairi. What persisted in troubling the two was the lack of townsfolk. Not one resident appeared before them ever since the Highwind landed on Destiny Islands.

A fleeting image.

Sora immediately dashed in the direction of the mysterious being, simultaneously trying to channel yet more magic into his hands. Kairi hurried after Sora, afraid to lose sight of him as the two did with Riku. Keyblade drawn in one hand and another fist full of recalled Fire magic, Sora pursued his target onto the shoreline. It was the northern shoreline, as Sora clearly remembered the same pier, homes, and―to his sudden longing reminiscence—the Secret Place. Sora gazed around the shoreline for the being he was chasing. He quickly pivoted in alarm and faced the sounds of footsteps, but sighed, as it was only the sight of Kairi catching up to him.

Sora carefully asked Kairi to remain as quiet as possible. He resumed scanning the shoreline and then… the pier. Sora caught the sight of the enigmatic figure and once again immediately dashed towards his target. The being was cloaked and looked all too familiar.

"Who are you?!" Sora growled. "Are you the one that's been trashing my home?!"

The cloaked individual leapt from the pier and landed directly in front of Sora. The glowing Fire magic continued to burn and channel in Sora's hand as he gripped firmly his Keyblade in his other hand. The figure, whose face was hidden under the hood of the cloak, initially glanced at Sora's Keyblade, and then at Sora's anger-stricken face. Smoothly, the mysterious person pulled down the cloak's hood, revealing a female face. Clearly she wasn't a Heartless. Or so Sora had hoped. But in all forms of terror, she definitely seemed like one of the members of the dreaded Organization XIII.

"I could've sworn I wiped you all out," Sora muttered defiantly. He pointed his Keyblade at her face. "Tell me. Who are you and why are you here?"

"You know, common courtesy bids you to share your name first, young Keyblade-wielder," the cloaked woman laughed quietly at Sora's valor.

"My name's Sora," Sora spoke slowly, eyeing his adversary suspiciously. "And—"

"Yes, Sora, I already know who you are. Maleficent has told me oh so much about―"

"You work for Maleficent?!" Sora bellowed as he lunged at the woman. "So you _are_ a Heartless!"

"Please," the woman scoffed as she grabbed the tip of the Keyblade and swung Sora over her shoulder. Kairi gasped and rushed to Sora's aid. "A Heartless? No. I'm no Heartless. I may not have a true heart, but I'm no Heartless."

"So you're a Nobody," Sora spat. Kairi helped pull him up and he resumed his fighter stance.

"That's correct, my dear. You may call me Sarlix, or… say, a nickname. The Mind Keeper."

"Sarlix, the Mind Keeper," Sora reiterated silently to himself. "One question then, Mind Keeper, are _you_ in charge of the Heartless invasion here?"

Sarlix turned her back to Sora and waved her arms in exclamation.

"Heavens, no! I wouldn't stand ten feet from a Heartless. Those creatures give me the creeps," she turned back around to face Sora. "But, my Heartless half, Syx, is in charge here. Bah, she looks nothing like me though. A hideous figure."

Sora and Kairi looked at each other in confusion; apparently both of them had the same question.

"T-then, if you're not in charge here…" Kairi began to ask. "What exactly are you doing here in the first place?"

"Oh, little girl, I was supposed to capture all three of you. But alas, you two managed to escape from my―"

"Ugh, you took Riku?!" Sora roared. He charged forward again at Sarlix who disappeared instantly into a column of black smoke.

"Now, now, Sora. Riku is perfectly fine. No need to worry!" Sarlix's voice resonated through the gloomy air of Destiny Islands. The echoes dissipated in a few seconds and all was silent again.

Sora pounded the tainted sands on the shoreline and Kairi slowly sat down by his side.

"Hey, we're just going to have to find the… well, Heartless version of Sarlix right now. Maybe we can still save the islands," Kairi advised, noting the drastic turn of events.

"Right," Sora responded after a moment and rubbed his forehead. "We hunt down Syx, make sure all the townspeople are okay, and then meet everyone at the Radiant Garden and search for Riku."

He couldn't believe they were all being separated again! But Kairi could sense Sora's fear of every one of them being torn from each other, so she put her hand on his shoulder in sign of support.

"I'm not going to leave your side, Sora. We made a promise before to come back to each other. We worked too hard to see each other again, so I'm not about to have us separated."


	10. Sweet Dreams

**Chapter X:**

The hunt was on. Sora and Kairi recommenced their hike across the islands, this time knowing who and what they were searching for. Sarlix, by her image, appeared to be of no immediate threat, but her power was immeasurable. Sora was aware of this when his all-out lunge attack was completely negated by a swift wrist flick from Sarlix. Her psychic powers to interfere with mortal minds were also forces to be reckoned with. The only thing the two friends prayed for at the moment was that Syx, the Heartless version of Sarlix, would pose less of a challenge.

They went through a clearing, which, unknown to both Sora and Kairi, was located exactly at the heart of Destiny Islands. Sora led the way, but he slowed his pace as he peeked over his shoulder to find Kairi strolling more leisurely than usual. Kairi was whispering melodiously.

_[Let's talk some more,  
About the tomorrow  
Which is just  
Around the bend.  
Turn off the TV,  
Look only at me…]_

Sora was listening intently, though Kairi was unaware to the fact. Kairi continued to hum.

_[No matter how good it seems  
I can't truly believe  
At those times  
We're with each other.  
A light called you―]_

Kairi ceased walking just a moment before colliding into Sora, who also stopped walking.

"―Finds me in the middle of the night," she concluded with her lyrics. "Hey, why'd we stop walking?"

"I was just listening to your voice. I never knew you could sing that well, Kairi," Sora remarked naively.

"Well, duh. What else do you think I do during my free time?" She giggled. "And that wasn't really singing. But how about you sing something, Sora?"

"Uh, I think I'll pass…" Sora groaned.

"Come on! I―"

"Nah," Sora interjected. "Let's keep walking."

Pouting, Kairi picked up her pace and caught up with Sora, who simply continued walking straight through the clearing.

Time was not a known element for Sora and Kairi. The dark clouds lingered in the sky above Destiny Islands. Smog and haze shrouded a major portion of the land. These aspects resulted in day and night both lurking in lasting darkness.

But it was night, and Sora and Kairi knew it was _late_ at night. They ached and their minds grew weary due to exhaustion from the day's turmoil and crude spontaneity. Sora felt his grip on the Oblivion Keyblade loosen and his attentiveness wane. Kairi felt her eyelids droop and her footsteps gradually change into drags and wobbles. Still, diligence and perseverance pushed the two young warriors onward on their trek.

However, it was not long before Kairi started to feel the weight of fatigue finally taking its toll on her body.

"Sora, do you think there's any chance we can continue after we get some rest?" Kairi requested, rubbing her eyes. "We're in no condition to keep fighting…"

Even though Sora would have preferred to persist in accomplishing the duties he set forth for himself and satiating his personal vengeance, he too felt the force of exhaustion.

"You're right. It'll be more worth it to rest and save our strength for tomorrow," Sora finally agreed, with a hint of unwillingness. "Whoa, we have no supplies though…"

"It's okay. This clearing's pretty peaceful―and unburned unlike the other parts of the islands," Kairi said and settled.

The clearing was an unnamed portion of Destiny Islands. It was also the one area on the islands that was not completely covered with either sand or coconut trees. The clearing here was made up of solely grass and shrubs with neither a grain of sand nor a tree in sight. Sora and Kairi both lied face-up opposite of each other on the grass with the tips of their heads touching. On normal days, the sky would be clear with the stars shimmering and glowing brilliantly. Though not as clouded as other parts of the islands, the sky above the clearing was still murky and infested with gloom. Not a single hint of a star could be seen.

Unmistakably, Kairi was hoping for a good view of the sky in the open clearing, but she sighed at the pathetic, depressing atmosphere that shrouded the _entire_ sky above the islands. It seemed as if her voice deserted her, with every thought of words slipping out of her mind. She heard and felt the bristles of Sora's hair rustling in the wind, but the Keyblade master was dozing off and near sleep. Kairi, with better judgment, chose ultimately not to spark any conversation and disturb Sora's slumber and soon felt herself drifting off into sleep.

And with deep sleep came unprecedented dreams. For Kairi especially, dreams practically always revealed the thoughts of her subconscious mind...

_[They gracefully held each other's hands as they casually strode along the edge of the soft, sandy beach. Every few seconds, their bare feet were tickled by the cold seawater that stretched and gently splashed onto the shore. It was low tide at an auburn sunset, the perfect time for them to just relax, to simply walk, and to fully enjoy the surrounding views. With each passing, undisturbed moment, they briefly gazed into each other's eyes, then to resume on their stroll. Still, she couldn't hold back any longer and leaned in…]_

"Uh, what the?"

Kairi suddenly lifted her head to the cold, night air to see who was talking. Then she remembered it was only Sora and she who were traveling together. The girl sat up and turned around to see her friend still lying down, but his head somewhat raised towards a small, black critter that settled on his chest.

"Sora? What is that?" Kairi asked, yawning.

The critter was mostly black, and unusually small. It was smaller than a coconut, with a disproportional large head, a relatively small body, scrawny arms and legs, and tiny claws ornamenting its hands and feet. But what were peculiar about the critter were its enormous yellow eyes and thin antennas bulging from its large head.

"A Heartless?" Kairi guessed before Sora could say anything.

"I think so," said Sora, drawing out his Keyblade.

The critter leapt off Sora's chest, covered its head, and cowered onto the ground. Seeing that Sora was not about to hold back, the critter scampered a few yards further away from him.

"Hey, hey, where do you think you're going?" Sora called.

"Aw, but it looks so cute…" Kairi mentioned.

"Cute? It's a Heartless! Cute and Heartless can't go together, Kairi," Sora muttered.

Sora charged at his tiny foe, which simply stared on. Except before the critter could come in contact with Sora's swinging Keyblade, it did what all Heartless were capable of: warping into oblivion, escaping harm. Sora muttered under his breath and sat back on the ground. Oddly, the sight of that small, seemingly harmless Heartless troubled him.

"A Heartless, for sure… Darn it, he ran away," Sora grumbled.

"Sounds like someone needs some more sleep," Kairi joked.

"I think I'm good. If you still wanna rest, go ahead. I'll stand by and keep watch."

"Okay then," Kairi said as she lied down. "It's cold…"

Sora summoned his Fire magic, concentrating on a spot a few feet away from Kairi. In an instant, a decently sized flame burned brightly. Kairi thanked him, smiled, and floated back into her sweet dreams.


	11. Fear in the Clearing

**Chapter XI:**

At dusk, the atmosphere appeared as dreary as it did the previous night. Sunlight did not break the dark clouds that bound the skies like dense cobwebs. Sora, who only slept for a few hours, continued to keep watch over Kairi and himself up until the time of dusk when he heard Kairi stir.

"Ugh, _this_ is morning?!" Kairi exclaimed, evidently upset about the gloomy skies again. "I'm definitely not used to this. I'll do anything to see some sun right now."

"Morning, Kairi," said Sora behind her back. "I was waiting a while for you to finally wake up."

Sora thought that after the fire burned out, the chilliness would have woken Kairi, but she slept soundly. Kairi stretched out her arms and legs.

"Good morning, Sora," she said. "Did you catch any sleep later on last night?"

Sora shook his head. He kept watch all night. That unusually small, and strange, Heartless nabbed at his mind the entire night. He had encountered and noted many, many Heartless varieties—a majority of them already odd enough—but he had never seen a Heartless that peculiar before. It seemed to have generated an aura that interfered with Sora's very mind…

A sound…

Sora whipped out his Oblivion Keyblade and Kairi did the same, holding dearly onto her Oathkeeper. From beneath the ground, a small, black portal opened and two enormous yellow eyes peered out. Sora winced as the same tiny Heartless crawled out of the ground and started feeling around with its two antennas.

"Aw, look, Sora. He came back to you," Kairi giggled. "Maybe he likes you."

Sora seriously doubted that proposition. He widened his stance and pointed his blade forward.

"Well, Heartless are all the same to me, so this one's going down!" he declared, lifting his Keyblade and beginning his slash.

All of the sudden, in a mere matter of seconds, the tiny Heartless increased about a hundred times in size. Instead of appearing _cute_, the creature rose and stood on two legs, shrunk its eyes to match its now proportional head size, and transformed its overall physique to resemble a human's. Sora had his weapon hung in midair, his eyes focused on the transformation before him, completely in awe. The Heartless finally stopped increasing in size, though it was already about three times the height of Sora. And in another split second, wings started to sprout from the Heartless' back, and its claws lengthened.

Sora snapped out of his trance and recalled his Keyblade.

"K-Kairi, I think―Run!" he yelled as the beastly creature began to rise into the air.

Kairi was confused. Indeed the creature was humongous. It was utterly terrifying, with its massive wings, claws, and eerie yellow eyes, but Kairi knew Sora would not run away for no reason. Something must be troubling him.

_What's going on?_ Kairi thought.

But that was a question she had to save for later, as she felt Sora grab her hand and yank her forward. The two of them sprinted across the clearing, Sora panicking and Kairi feeling more and more worried and concerned every passing minute.

The monstrosity that took flight was not even chasing the two. When it reached a certain point in the air, it melded into a dark portal and vanished into the clouds. Kairi took this moment to talk to Sora.

"Sora, stop. Please stop," she pleaded. "That thing's not following us anymore."

Sora stumbled into a halt and let go of Kairi's hand.

"I have no idea―what the heck is going on. That Heartless… I don't know why, but it creeps me out so much," Sora said, panting. "―Every time I see it, including the tiny version last night, I feel my skin crawl and I start sweating and… Ugh, it's annoying. Whenever I'm ready to take it out with the Keyblade, I feel my mind just… twisting―"

Kairi interrupted him by hugging him tightly.

"Are you okay now, though?" she asked quietly. "I was kinda worried when you just started panicking and stuff."

Surprisingly for him, Sora actually did start to feel better. His mind was more at ease and his body was not as tense as before.

_Too many weird things are happening, _Sora noted. He gave Kairi an awkward smile. "Thanks, Kairi. I'm much better now,"

Somewhere in him, he hoped Riku _wasn't_ right about Kairi. What will that do to his and Kairi's friendship?

"Good," Kairi said as she returned the smile. "Shall we keep walking then?"

Sora nodded and the two friends left the edge of the clearing and entered the next seemingly abandoned village. Little do the two know that the beast was actually the Heartless commander they were searching for.

* * *

Syx hissed quietly as Sarlix entered the scene.

"Well, good job keeping an eye on Sora and his friend, Syx," Sarlix said. "Although you did scare him away by transforming. And that girl… every single time she shows any support for Sora, my spells seem to be neutralized. Hmm, interesting. Oh well, that was a minor setback."

"_You were the one that scared him away with your filthy mind games,_" Syx said telepathically in a deep, nightmarish voice. "_I would've grabbed him then and there―_"

"Why didn't you then?" Sarlix questioned.

"_Unlike you and the rest of the Nobodies, we Heartless fear and hate the Keyblade. You may get struck by a Keyblade and survive with mere physical wounds, but we Heartless are scarred by its blade…_"

"Huh, I didn't know that until your mentioning just now," Sarlix added in a sarcastic tone.

"_You dare mock me, Sarlix?_" Syx growled. "_Your cheap mind tricks cannot work against the non-living._"

Before Sarlix could open her mouth for a counter-remark, the dark iron gates to the room Syx and she were in opened and in came the evil sorceress Maleficent and her two guests. Sarlix could recognize one of the guests.

"Maleficent, you've brought guests," Sarlix noted.

"Yes," Maleficent responded sinisterly. "Ones you may be familiar with…"

Sarlix strode over to Maleficent, leaving Syx in her original spot, still seething and growling.

"Hmm, Gylmer. You seem… different," Sarlix murmured.

"As do you Sil―"

"No, no. There is no Silra. Like there is no Gylmer, I assume. You can call me Sarlix now."

Xymgrel snuck a vindictive look at Maleficent and then eyed Sarlix carefully.

"Right then," Xymgrel sighed. "There is no Gylmer… Then you can call me Xymgrel."

"Xymgrel, huh? Interesting," Sarlix remarked as she turned to face Maleficent and whispered to her. "You do know he still hates your guts."

"But of course," Maleficent hissed. "I took away his will and freedom. You, on the other hand, were just… _curiously_ cooperative. I still wonder why you submitted so willingly."

"I had nothing to lose. I had nothing more to give up," Sarlix responded after a moment of thought, choosing her words carefully. "My life was bound to that hateful museum. Gylmer, though, had _everything_ to lose. I could name some, like his yearning for knowledge, his passion for working and researching, and as you mentioned, his will and freedom. I can almost feel bad for the guy if I still had a heart."

"I've come to learn that Nobodies only seek to reunite with their lost hearts?" the sinister Maleficent asked, smiling crudely. "Your Heartless is right behind you. You can easily slay her and take your wandering heart. Why don't you, Sarlix?"

Sarlix was growing tired of the questions that tested her loyalty.

"Because, Maleficent―and you already know the answer to that question―if I decide to kill my Heartless and complete myself with my missing heart, I know you will most likely track me down and repeat the painful process which you dealt onto me already. Besides, I lack powers in my human form."

"Good answers, my pet," said Maleficent, showing her deadly smile again.

Sarlix rolled her eyes in antipathy and turned again to Xymgrel.

"You might as well get used to her," she whispered into his ear. "You have powers now. Isn't that so much more exciting than just sorting out books and artifacts in the museum, hmm?"

The Temple Key Museum swarmed with Heartless armies, its walls tainted with dark magic and its halls carpeted by creeping Shadows. The museum on Costa Island became Maleficent's stronghold, her private domain where she may hatch all her diabolical plans.

* * *

Selphie, Tidus, and Wakka hid together in an abandoned hut. In neighboring houses and buildings, the rest of the villagers from the northern and eastern coasts gathered in search for sanctuary. There were no Heartless around the village, which was a huge plot of land, covering almost a hundred-fifty acres.

Yet, Tidus and Wakka dared not venture out into the open, no matter how valiant or action-hungry they may be. Besides, Selphie, Tidus, and Wakka only recently bumped into each other when everyone was trying to evade the Heartless swarms. It had been a long time since the three of them spoke to one another. Though that was the case, none of them forgot about their friendship. Tidus, along with a few adult villagers, gazed out of different windows for signs of movements. A couple of adult villagers were shocked to find two teens wandering past the huts, in open air, vulnerable.

"Hey, you two!" one whispered out a broken window. "Are you kids crazy? You could get seriously hurt out there!"

Selphie was half asleep when Tidus started shaking her.

"Huh… uh, w-what is it, Tidus?" Selphie asked, half mumbling.

"It's Sora! And Kairi! They―" he yelled, almost too loudly before Wakka held him down to the floor and covered his mouth.

Selphie was ecstatic; she couldn't believe her eyes. Ever since the Heartless began invading the islands, she had not seen Sora and Kairi anywhere.

_But where's Riku?_ she mentally asked herself, taking notice of Riku's absence.

"Kairi!" Selphie yelled out to her friend.

"Selphie? Sora, look! It's Selphie!" Kairi cried gleefully.

The villagers opened the moderately sized hut's door to the two travelers. Kairi and Selphie embraced each other for a brief moment before Tidus and Wakka appeared before them.

"Hey, it's Sora! Long time no see, man!" Wakka said, patting Sora on the back.

"Wow, Sora," said the young Tidus. "You look pretty spiffy. Much stronger than I remembered you from before."

"You guys actually remember me?" Sora asked quizzically. He turned to Kairi. "I thought everyone forgot about me."

"Everyone's memories seemed to be restored. Didn't Naminé regret working on your memories?" Kairi quietly supposed. "Well, she fixed yours up and I guess everyone else linked to you in any way had their memories of you fixed up too, like me."

"I dunno what Kairi just said," Wakka mumbled, scratching his head in confusion. "But I gots a good feelin' that she's right!"

"Yeah," Selphie chuckled. "I remember you now, Sora."

"And I still remember you, Selphie," Sora responded.

"But tell me," Selphie said, changing her tone. "Shouldn't Riku be with you two? He always is… isn't he?"

"Yeah! Riku! He's like my idol," Tidus cut in. "Hey, Sora, don't you remember before last year, we all used to look up to Riku because he was so strong?"

Sora simply nodded and turned to Selphie to break the news to her.

"Riku was captured," he said, shaking his head in disappointment. "But Kairi and I will find him."

Selphie, Tidus, and Wakka looked at each other.

"How will you do that?" Selphie asked.

Sora gestured to Kairi. The two of them stuck out their hands and their respective Keyblades formed. Sora grabbed the Oblivion's hilt and swung it fancily for a brief moment.

"With these," Sora started. "Keyblades. The creatures that are on our islands are called Heartless. And the only weapons capable of destroying them for good are Keyblades."

"Sora's the one that's been fighting these creatures and the powers of darkness all this time," Kairi mentioned, smiling, with a hint of showing-off. She twirled her Keyblade just as fancily as Sora did. "This time I'm helping him out."

_How things have changed,_ Selphie noted.

_That is awesome,_ Tidus remarked.

_Whoa,_ Wakka thought, utterly awed.

Sora and Kairi looked around the hut and then glanced into the neighboring huts and buildings. The villagers seemed safe at the moment, much to the two's relief. Kairi caught the sight of a woman in a plaid, cotton dress…

"Sora, I think I see your mother," Kairi said.

"Oh. That's good, at least she's okay."

"Don't you want to greet her? To let her know that you're still in good shape?"

"We have a job to do right now, Kairi. A job that my mom won't approve of, for sure."

Kairi nodded. It was probably best for them to simply keep moving on and end the Heartless threat on the islands as fast as possible.

"Okay. Then let's move on, Sora," Kairi said at last.

"Right," Sora answered, nodding in agreement.

They were about to exit out the door when Selphie, Tidus, and Wakka came up to them again.

"You two leavin' already?" Wakka asked.

"Yeah, I'm afraid we have to, Wakka," Sora responded sadly.

"Well, be safe on your journey, Kairi―and Sora," said Selphie.

"We'll do our best," Kairi said, as she and Sora turned the doorknob and made their exit.


	12. The Capture

**Chapter XII:**

"Why haven't you captured that wretched boy yet?" Maleficent screeched.

In the room were Sarlix, Syx, Xymgrel, and Grymox, each standing in different corners of the archival room where Maleficent ordered them to meet her in.

"Which one? The taller one or the shorter one?" Sarlix asked mockingly. Maleficent glared at her and Syx grunted in amusement. "I'm serious. I don't have Sora, but I managed to find the taller one."

"You captured _Riku_?" Maleficent asked.

"_She caught no one, mistress. She only stupidly warped Riku into another world, separate from his friends,_" Syx communed directly with Maleficent.

"So you didn't capture Riku. You didn't capture Sora. What exactly _did_ you do, Sarlix?" Maleficent scoffed.

Sarlix did not answer that question and instead looked away from Maleficent.

"_Shall I go back to the islands?_" Syx asked Maleficent.

"Fools," Maleficent hissed silently. "Syx. Grymox. Go to the islands. Find Sora and bring him to me. If you cannot… hmm…"

Maleficent considered for a moment what will force Sora to come to her regardless of being captured or not.

_What will make him come to me?_ she asked herself. Many elements may force one person to act ignoring better judgment: anger, greed, vengeance, love. She chuckled at a sudden realization.

"I think we may have a solution… If you cannot capture Sora―bring his pretty girlfriend to me," she said cruelly. "That is sure to make him scramble over here. Now go!"

Syx and Grymox melted into the stone floor and disappeared, well on their way back to Destiny Islands. Maleficent turned to the remaining two left with her. Sarlix still refused to look at Maleficent and Xymgrel had not been paying any attention to anything for the past hour.

"You Nobodies sicken me. I hold the power here! You _will_ do my bidding!" Maleficent roared, forming green flames around her robes at the same time.

"Then what exactly is your 'bidding,' your _almighty wonderfulness_?" she asked, rolling her eyes with utmost sarcasm.

Maleficent squinted her eyes in bitter aggravation at Sarlix's snide remarks. But then she smiled diabolically, figuring out a better way to make use of her happy-go-lucky Nobody. She decided to send Sarlix on a torturous assignment, which she knows the rebellious commander would not be able to accomplish. Maleficent glanced at the equally carefree Xymgrel and figured to send both of them on the same futile mission.

"Well… Sarlix and Xymgrel, I have a job for you two to do," she started. Sarlix paid minimal attention and Xymgrel merely looked to Maleficent's direction, neither listening nor caring. She continued. "There is a world with many, many potent warriors. In that world there is a city absolutely _filled_ with these warriors."

She stopped, choosing her words carefully not to arouse suspicions.

"There is a city called Midgar, a grand place. I have only visited Midgar only once, but I immediately noticed many potential fighters. Find these warriors and convert them into Heartless and Nobodies!"

"Huh. Fine, then. Let's go, Xymgrel," Sarlix mumbled. Xymgrel crossed his arms and followed Sarlix absentmindedly. The two of them opened a portal in the room and made their exit.

_There is no way they will be able to accomplish anything in that world. The warriors that live there are far too strong for any being to defeat,_ Maleficent noted. The thought alone triggered a devious cackle that echoed through the halls of the stronghold.

* * *

Still around the heart of Destiny Islands, Sora and Kairi stopped to take a short break to ponder whom exactly were they trying to find. They knew it was Syx, the Heartless commander leading the assault on Destiny Islands, the Heartless twin of Sarlix, but what does she look like? Sora eagerly awaited any clues or signs as to what he has to look out for.

Kairi fiddled with her Amulet of Promise keychain. Her lucky charm, which was made into a star-shaped design, kept Sora safe during his past journeys. Kairi only hoped that his safety, as well as hers, would continue to uphold.

Holding onto the charm, Kairi's mind suddenly traversed into the past…

_["You brought me back," Sora said._  
"_I didn't want to just forget about you, Sora. I couldn't," Kairi replied, feeling particularly emotional._  
"_That's it!" said Sora suddenly at an insight. "Our hearts are connected. And the light from our hearts broke through the darkness. I saw that light. I think that's what saved me. No matter how deep the darkness, a light shines within. I guess it's more than just a fairy tale."_  
"_Well, let's go."  
_Uh,_ Sora was thinking. "You can't go."_  
"_Why not?" Kairi was curious, and a bit confused._  
"_Because it's way too dangerous."_  
Typical response. I should have expected him to say that,_ she thought. "Come on, Sora. We made it this far by sticking together. You can't go alone."_  
"_Kairi, even if we're apart, we're not alone anymore. Right?"_  
"_I can't help?"_  
"_You'd kind of be in my way," Sora said carefully as to not upset Kairi, but he was quite serious._  
"_Okay. You win," Kairi finally said, giving up. Kairi gave Sora an appealing, star-shaped item she created during her free time. "Take this. It's my lucky charm. Be sure to bring it back to me."_  
"_Don't worry. I will."  
_"_Promise?"_  
"_Promise."_  
"_Don't ever forget. Wherever you go, I'm always with you…"]_

Kairi smiled.

_He hasn't changed at all. But maybe he still did, in a way. He's changed, but he's still the same person I've always known._

Sora was very patient. If anything about him has changed, it was only for the better. After two whole journeys, Sora became stronger, more mature, patient, virtuous, and understanding. Kairi loved it. She continued to fiddle with the charm and then reattached it to her Keyblade, once again forming the Oathkeeper.

In all suddenness, Sora, who was in thought and was pacing back and forth around Kairi, started to groan. He looked to Kairi with solemn eyes and then staggered. Startled, Kairi recalled her Keyblade and quickly came to his aid, setting him down to the dusty ground. Sora was neither debilitated nor injured, but he was under some sort of agonizing influence. He perspired, his body quivered, his hands groped his head, and his fingers laced through his hair in spastic motions. More than upset, Kairi cried out.

"Sora, what's happening to you?!"

"That _thing_. That Heartless from before…" Sora gasped, attempting to hold himself still. But he continued to shake violently. "My head feels so weird…"

Kairi did the only thing she could do in helping her dear friend. She wrapped her arms around Sora's neck and held him close to her. Both of them leaned against each other for a period of time until Sora's body started shuddering less and less.

"I'm here," Kairi whispered when Sora finally stopped shaking and stabilized his breathing. "Just to let you know―I can't bear to see you in pain like that."

Sora feebly closed his eyes.

"Thanks, Kai―"

A forceful thud sounded behind Sora and Kairi, causing Sora to jolt his eyes back open and sit straight up. Sora heard another sound, lighter and more delicate than the first, but nonetheless the sound of something, or some_one_, landing.

Still leaning on Sora, Kairi heard the sounds loud and clear. She listened attentively for more noise, but heard none. She momentarily glanced at Sora, who seemed fully alert. But all was silent again. Not even the sound of a breeze or the rumbling of the dark clouds overhead resonated in the air. Sora and Kairi continued to maintain their vigilance, examining trees, boulders, and every other constituent of their environment for suspicious movements.

And vigilance paid off for the two. Behind a giant, cracked boulder, a jet-black figure appeared, one that Sora could recognize and could not forget. The monstrous Heartless, with its four arms, lengthy claws, and two giant wings, stepped out into the open. Its legs had fused into thick smog, which allowed the creature to float closer and closer to Sora and Kairi. Sora was ready, however, as his mind was no longer troubling him. He whipped out his Keyblade, which immediately caused the Heartless to flinch and stray backwards for a few seconds. The Heartless, squinting its eyes menacingly at Sora, looked away and diverted its attention onto Kairi. Then again, Kairi was equally ready. She summoned back her Keyblade and aimed the weapon at the Heartless.

"_W__e have two Keyblade-wielders here. Very interesting,_" a voice sounded in the minds of both Sora and Kairi's.

"Show yourself!" Sora yelled, jumping next to Kairi.

Grymox dropped down from a tall tree that was directly overhead Sora and Kairi and landed with a light thud on the brown, dusty ground.

"What the," Sora growled. He remembered this Heartless from when he and the others first investigated the Temple Key Museum. "What are _you_ doing here?"

"Sora―the other Heartless!" Kairi exclaimed.

Sora moved in between Kairi and the winged Heartless and immediately casted the Reflect spell around Kairi and himself, blocking the Heartless' lethal attacks. The Heartless backed away and snorted, amused at Sora's quick response. It squinted its eyes again and began channeling a dark, purplish energy on one of its giant, clawed hands.

"_No, Syx. You don't want to kill them all off, do you?_" Grymox hissed.

"_You fool…_" Syx responded back to Grymox.

"That's Syx?" Sora wondered to Kairi and himself. "This looks like trouble, Kairi."

"Yeah, got any plans?" Kairi whispered.

"We'll see how this goes. I was thinking about winging it."

"Gotcha."

Sora and Kairi stood ready, guarding themselves with their respective Keyblades. Grymox slowly hovered around them, his lance-like weapon fully extended like a knight's battle posture. Syx stood with her arms crossed and her eyes closed, not producing a single audible sound.

All of a sudden, Sora felt his mind collapsing again, and this time he knew exactly why it was happening to him. The Mind Keeper.

"Where is she!" he moaned. "Sarlix is the one that's been doing this to me the whole time! The _Mind Keeper_!"

"_Not always,_" Syx hummed in contentment._ "I have such powers, as well._"

"Leave Sora alone, you monster!" Kairi screamed. She charged at Syx with her Keyblade glowing and fully extended.

"_Why do you have to make this so complicated, girl?_" The Heartless messaged to Kairi. She slapped away the Oathkeeper with one hand and lifted Kairi off the ground with another. Instantaneously, the Keyblade vanished into sparks and reappeared in Kairi's hands. "_Grr. I forgot the Keyblades could do that…_"

Kairi smirked and swung the Keyblade at Syx's neck. Too slow, though, as the sly Heartless sank into a black puddle and dropped Kairi to the ground. Within a moment, Syx resurfaced in another location.

"_I thought this was supposed to be easy. Impressive,_" she mocked, letting out a low growl. Her eyes carried a different message, one mixed with frustration, as well as intrigue.

Grymox continued to hover and circle around Sora, who was still massaging his aching head. However, Sora was not watching Grymox, but at Kairi. It was a duel he wanted to prevent. Thus, the Keyblade master tried to recollect his mind and began to ease towards Syx.

"_And where do you think you're going?_" Grymox messaged Sora, his face directly in front of the young warrior.

"Get away from me," Sora said coldly.

"_Can't do that, human._"

"Sora!" Kairi cried out.

Sora, more intent on going to Kairi's aid, was grasped by Grymox from behind, who then dragged the struggling Keyblade master into a dark portal in the ground, both of them disappearing, gone from the islands.

Syx smirked. Kairi was completely distracted; it could be determined that her care for Sora was her downfall in that standoff. Before Kairi could react, Syx tore open a similar portal and forcibly shoved Kairi into it. In another moment, there were no sounds in the heart of Destiny Islands except for the sounds of rampant skittering. The light footsteps of Shadow Heartless echoed, signifying their rise from underneath the land's dusty surface.


	13. Motives

**Chapter XIII:**

"Kairi!"

Sora was in the abyss, with Grymox nearly strangling him. He wanted to see Kairi, feeling a need to simply see and to make sure she was safe. For one moment, his surroundings were pitch black. Then in another passing moment, a sudden flash of light blinded him. But just as abruptly, it turned dark once again. Sora's head throbbed due to the rapid changes in light and his deep frustration with his situation. He fought, kicking and pushing, all in attempt to break free of Grymox's tight hold on him, though to no avail.

"_I swear I'll break you in half if you don't stop moving,_" Grymox channeled his words.

"Shut up!" Sora yelled in aggravation.

"_You have a lot of anger. I can feel your darkness half._"

"I said, shut up!"

The Heartless grunted in amusement. Sora continued to try and break free, but his arms were caught between one of Grymox's large hands. Without many options, he continued to kick; but he had no idea what he was kicking at, due to the shifting between sudden darkness and sudden blinding lights.

"_I told you to stop moving…_"

"And I told you to shut up! Let go of me!"

"_In a moment,_" Grymox sneered.

At last the darkness permanently faded and Sora and Grymox entered a stone ornamented room. The portal closed behind them, and Sora realized escape would surely be a challenge. Not that he wanted to, his first goals were to find Kairi and Riku. Grymox released and tossed Sora onto the ground and headed for a metal door at the opposite side of the room. _Big mistake, _Sora muttered to himself and called forth his Keyblade. He charged at the departing Heartless with all his might.

With unnatural reflexes, Grymox pulled out his deadly lance-like weapon and parried Sora's heavy blow. With excellent reflexes himself, Sora dodged Grymox's immediate riposte and swooped under the Heartless' weapon in an attempt to cut him down.

Once again, Grymox demonstrated his unnatural reflexes and moved out of the way. However, a gash with black and purple vapors leaking from it appeared across the side of his waist. Grymox tightened his piercing, yellow eyes in malevolence and spite at Sora. He retreated a few feet, keeping his watch on the Keyblade master, and disappeared through the metal door. A trail of dark vapors could be seen dissipating across the stone floor. Sora had left his mark on the Heartless commander.

Sora gripped the doorknob and… it couldn't turn. There was no lock to be seen either.

_It must be locked from the other side,_ Sora thought.

He examined his makeshift prison cell. Its construction was more like a council chamber than a prison cell. The room itself was noticeably wide and spacious, though there was a giant, rectangular table across the middle of the room. What made the room seem more like a council room than a prison cell was the fact that there were bookshelves and filing cabinets by the walls and windows on all four sides of the room. Grabbing a wooden chair, Sora sat and waited for whatever it was that he was captured for.

Before too long, Sora saw a black puddle appearing on the floor with green flames not even a foot away from his chair. He stood up and backed up slightly and summoned his Keyblade in defense. His eyes grew larger and larger as Maleficent's figure appeared before him.

"Comfy?" Maleficent asked in an ironically welcoming tone.

"Not really," Sora answered angrily. "What are you up to, Maleficent?"

"Nothing, dear boy, nothing," she turned and paced around the room, with Sora watching her every step. "Besides controlling a growing Heartless and Nobody army…"

"What? You control the Nobodies, too?" Sora couldn't believe it. "I know you have _two_ Nobodies under your control, but a whole army? _What_?"

"Kingdom Hearts will be mine." Maleficent cackled.

"Not again," Sora groaned. "No one should control Kingdom Hearts, you should know that by now."

"Allow me to tell you a story, Sora," Maleficent said, smiling sinisterly. "Organization XIII's stronghold was mine for the taking. You and your friends and the _king_―well, I must say did a fine job clearing a path for us, Pete and I, to enter.

"It was perfect; dominated purely with the powers of darkness, feeding my Heartless. Or so I thought. The Heartless only obey the ones who wield more power. And the wretched Organization XIII and their Nobodies held the power there.

"Yet it was still my goal to take over, though I could not destroy the organization alone. Ah, yes, that's where you and your friends come in, Sora. As you all defeated one organization member at a time, it was one step closer for me to victory!

"Did you think I was lost in battle? That Pete and I were overrun by the rogue Heartless? Oh no, dear boy, you must not be so naïve! We were in control. The Heartless were _mine_ again as the organization's powers diminished with each member is slain by your might. Slowly, we faded into the darkness, waiting for our opportunity to take over. And we would have… until that idiot Pete decided to back away from glory.

"If he decided to leave, then I had no further use for his idiocy. Hah, into the darkness I tossed him. Who knows where he is now. I returned to the stronghold to fulfill my goal, only to see the door to Kingdom Hearts close in front of me. How quaint. You and your friends have defeated Xemnas, the last member of Organization XIII, before I could be there to witness it! The doors were locked…"

Maleficent stopped speaking for a minute, still pacing around the room. She turned to face Sora.

"But things are different now, are they not, boy? Both the Heartless and the Nobodies are mine now. And here you are, my prisoner. Who will stop me? All I need to do is find and capture your friend Riku and the king, and there will be no Keyblades to get in the way."

Sora was about to object when dark puddle appeared next to Maleficent and Syx rose through it. The Heartless commander tossed an immobilized Kairi at Sora, knocking him straight to the cold floor.

"Oh, how excellent, Syx," Maleficent complimented. "Now let us leave. We have much work to do."

Syx snarled at Sora and Kairi, who were both collapsed on the floor, and the Heartless and Maleficent dissolved into the cold stone floor. As soon as the villains vanished, Sora quickly held Kairi up.

"Kairi…" Sora whispered. "Kairi, are you awake?"

Tattered, but not out cold, Kairi trembled a bit and turned around her face to see Sora. She was in his arms, for the moment safe and composed. She looked up and smiled.

"Hey, Sora," she murmured.

"Hey, Kairi. You okay?"

"Yeah. Fighting's hard…"

Sora nodded. Did he expect that Kairi was capable of tackling such strenuous work? Her outlook was fragile, her face, arms, legs, all delicate, and her eyes―they did not have the fire in them that fuel fighters. Sora didn't know why he even let Kairi fight. Because she wanted to?

"Sora, what are thinking about?" Kairi asked quietly.

"Huh?" he broke from his internal conflict. "Nothing much really. I just regret making you come, that's all. You wouldn't have been beaten up like this…"

"Me? Beaten up? Don't be like that, Sora!" Kairi said, giggling wholeheartedly. "Come on, cheer up, please?"

Normally, Sora was the optimistic one of the group. Normally, he was the one cheering everyone up; keeping his friends in a positive mood and their spirits raised. But now, he was the one feeling disheartened and helpless, and Kairi is the one who was left cheering him on.

Sora smiled and Kairi smiled back.

"Much better," she said.

"Hey, let me heal you," Sora suggested. "But your clothes might still be a bit messed up."

"That's no problem, thank you."

Sora summoned his magic and conjured the Cure spell, causing the green curative light to wrap around Kairi's injured body and instantly heal her wounds.

"What did Syx do to you…" Sora wondered, frowning.

"She was kind of rough," she answered, pushing a finger to her chin to force a pout. "We'll beat her up, right, Sora?"

"We will. I promise," Sora answered, resisting an urge to give in to Kairi's teasing. "But first, we have to get out of here."

"Did you try the door?" Kairi asked, laughing.

"Ha, ha," Sora playfully mocked. "Of course I did."

"Windows?"

Sora thought for a moment.

_Maybe… _He grabbed a few chairs and walked to one side of the room. "Let's try the windows, Kairi!"


	14. Bailing Out

**Chapter XIV:**

Sora started to stack a few chairs on top of each other so he could reach the window's ledge. He was not short, but he was not exactly a ten-foot pole either. He reached for the window's lock, but fell a few inches short. Kairi was mending her pink dress, which was to some extent torn and soiled in various areas. After a while, Sora ended up staring at Kairi instead of continuing his attempts at opening the window.

He eventually broke himself off from his stupor and faced the window again.

"Hey, Kairi, do you think you can reach the lever on the ledge?" Sora asked.

Kairi stopped her activity and looked up at Sora.

"Um, I'm definitely shorter than you," she said. "If you can't reach it, how can I?"

"I'll give you a boost! Come on up."

"Okay then…" Kairi answered with a sigh.

Though it was just the two of them in the room, it was an awkward, clumsy sight. Sora helped Kairi up the first few chairs, which gently shook from the new weight. But the final instance of embarrassment came when Kairi climb onto Sora's shoulders and reached for the window lever, simultaneously unaware of what exactly she was wearing: a short, tight dress, which was also slightly ripped at the edges. And then Sora, unconsciously looking up to check on Kairi's progress, immediately turned brick red and almost tripped over the chairs.

Kairi screamed at the unexpected loss of balance, but calmed down after Sora regained it.

"Don't scare me like that!" she yelped.

"Er, I, um… uh, y-you… oh man," Sora sputtered, looking towards the floor instead.

"What's wrong?" Kairi asked, confused.

"Uh, nothing," said Sora, briefly glancing upward. Right away, the flush shot back into his face, forcing him to face the floor again. "N-nothing! Nothing at all!'

"You're weird," Kairi giggled, evidently not understanding what Sora was blushing about. "I almost got it."

"Good," Sora said, looking up yet again. His eyes widened, leading into another fit of clumsiness.

"Sora!" Kairi yelled in a panicky tone. "Why are you―"

Her face met Sora's and gradually turned pink until it matched with equal redness.

_Oh no,_ Sora's heart started to beat furiously and he began to fret. He barely breaks a sweat fighting the Heartless, yet he was perspiring profusely at the moment.

"Sora?!" Kairi asked curiously, hiding her embarrassment. "Don't tell me you were looking up my dress!"

"No, not…! I… it was an accident, I s-swear!" Sora explained spastically like a five-year old. "Honestly, I l-looked up to see how you're handling things, and… y-yeah, you know."

_Boys_, Kairi thought. She sighed. "Well, I guess it's kind of my fault for wearing a short dress."

"I, uh, w-well you, no, um―" Sora stammered. _Shut up, Sora!_

"Shh, it's fine," said Kairi quietly, putting her index finger on Sora's lips. "I mean, we're close friends, right? So it shouldn't be that big of a deal."

Sora sighed. He was lucky Kairi was one of the nice girls.

_Why, why, why?_ he asked himself. _That was so stupid of me, ugh, why?!_

Sora shut his eyes to prevent any further mishaps. He wanted to kick himself, but Kairi, who continued to work with the levers that maintained the window's locks, was still standing on his shoulders. Sora held back and limited himself to simply cursing his previous actions.

With a click, the locks loosened and fell off the window's hinges and Kairi cheered. She pushed open the window and allowed the breeze, which had a scent resembling sea salt, to flow into the room. She gasped.

"Sora, look!" Kairi pointed out the window and to the sky. "There's something up there!"

Sora stood on his toes and tried his best to get a decent view of the outside. He couldn't see the land, but he could see a good portion of the sky. Incoming was a small dot, which Sora could not identify. But as the object closed in, Sora and Kairi were overjoyed.

The Celsius halted right by the open window with its cockpit facing the two. Inside, Mickey, Donald, and Goofy waved their hands in greeting. Mickey mouthed something and turned the Gummi ship to its side, with an open door awaiting the two Keyblade-wielders. Kairi climbed onto the window's ledge and helped Sora up. Afterwards, both of them eagerly stepped into the aircraft.

Panting with relief, Sora and Kairi instantly found two seats behind Mickey, Donald, and Goofy and threw themselves into them. Donald was the first to speak.

"Wondering how we found you two?" he said, quacking semi-intelligibly.

"Yeah, tell us, please," Sora and Kairi pleaded.

Donald motioned to Mickey, who was piloting the ship.

"Well," Mickey began. "We got to the Radiant Garden quite quickly, so we decided to check up on you guys. In little time, we landed on Destiny Islands on the same spot you guys landed the Highwind. We figured where you guys went by followin' your footprints. But then, your footprints disappeared in a dusty town, so we lost the trail. We realized somethin's gone wrong when a bunch of Heartless started showing up outta nowhere! So we ran back to the shores and took our ship to check around the islands from the air, but we still couldn't see you guys. Then we decided to check out Costa Island, right here. Luckily for you two, we came here as quickly as we could."

Mickey stopped and furrowed his eyebrows.

"Where's Riku?"

"We got separated, King Mickey," Sora began. "This Nobody named Sarlix, I think she captured Riku. But we don't know where she is…"

"Gee, Silra, huh," Mickey said, thinking at the same time. "She was a friend of Gylmer's. Now they both became Heartless beings and Nobodies."

A period of silence took over the ship, not one member of the party spoke or moved. As the Celsius passed through the void, the only sounds that could be heard were lasers blasting away a few scattered Heartless ships. Taking a glimpse out the closest window, Sora caught the sight of a few gateways that served as routes for ships like the Gummis.

Warping through one of the gateways, the Celsius appeared on another side of the void with a certain world directly ahead of it. The Radiant Garden. Although it had not been long since Sora set foot in the township, he still felt as if it had been ages since he was last here. He was eager to see some of the familiar faces there. Turning to Kairi to alert her about their upcoming landing, Sora noticed she was sleeping soundly, and left the sleeping girl alone for a few more minutes instead.

"Your Majesty," Sora said finally. "Who's still at the Radiant Garden right now?"

"Hmm, we only saw Merlin at his house," said Mickey, after a few seconds of thought. "I bet everyone else went back to their worlds."

_So everyone went home,_ Sora thought. _Leon, Yuffie, Cloud, Aerith, Tifa, and Cid._

"Are Donald's relatives still around the marketplace?" Sora asked.

"Nope," Donald replied. "They all went home."

"Home…" Sora said, more to himself than anyone else. "Destiny Islands is still in trouble. Do you think we can go back there soon, King Mickey?"

Donald and Goofy looked solemnly at Sora, then at Mickey.

"We'll try our best, Sora. Don't worry," said the king. "Oh, we're here."

Sora nudged Kairi gently. She slowly stretched her arms and yawned peacefully. Opening her eyes, Kairi noticed Sora first, who was looking back at her. Kairi could feel herself turning pink again so she quickly closed her eyes and rubbed her face.

"How long was I asleep for?" she asked.

"Not too long. Maybe an hour," Sora answered. "Hey, wake up. We're landing."

"Where are we?"

"The Radiant Garden."

"The Radiant Garden…"

"Yeah."

"Oh, my birthplace…"


	15. Another Side

**Chapter XV:**

Sarlix and Xymgrel stepped out of their portal and appeared in a dreary alleyway in the middle of a huge metropolis. The two of them pulled their hoods over their heads and walked onto the streets. They instantly caught the attentions of many civilians. It was not an everyday thing to see two mysterious people dressed in all-black trench coats. Sarlix and Xymgrel had to behave absolutely normally, in order to remain as inconspicuous as possible. Regardless, their presence did attract a great deal of attention from one blonde-haired man standing by a bar.

Cloud spun around and went back into the Seventh Heaven. He turned to look for the two mysterious people again for a brief moment before walking to the bar's front desk.

"Tifa, I think there's going to be some trouble around here," he said quietly without distracting the guests.

The striking, elegant woman was washing the dishes and serving drinks at the same time. She took the money and bid a paying customer farewell and returned to the sink.

"I'll close up soon," said Tifa, without asking Cloud what the trouble was. "Go find everyone else."

Everyone else meant Aerith Gainsborough, Yuffie Kisaragi, Cid Highwind, Barret Wallace, and Vincent Valentine. The city of Midgar was experiencing an abnormally high rate of crime and unexplainable problems. So when Cloud said there was going to be trouble, Tifa was not surprised.

The widely-renowned warrior stepped out into the garage behind the bar and retrieved his motorbike. In a few seconds, he sped off onto the streets of Midgar. His first destination was the Sector Five Church, where Aerith usually spent her spare time. Following that, he figured to deliver some form of a message to a town further off by the name of Wutai, where Yuffie lived. Unfortunately, Cloud was clueless about the exact locations of Cid, Barret, and Vincent. He would make some calls, but he hardly_—_and one can even say _never_—used his phone, neither does he ever answer the calls of others. Putting aside his dilemmas, Cloud pushed down his bike's accelerator and drove hastily on.

Less than a mile away from Cloud, Sarlix and Xymgrel decided to do some sightseeing. They stopped by a monument in the center of the city and admired it.

"What exactly are we supposed to do here?" Xymgrel asked. He had not paid any attention to Maleficent from before.

"Beats me," Sarlix muttered. Even though she knew what she was supposed to do, she had little to no motivation to carry out her assignments.

The two Nobodies wandered around aimlessly, bored and uninterested. They noticed the civilians getting out of their way whenever they stepped too close. There was fear in the air, and Sarlix and Xymgrel could sense it.

"What's up with these people? Are we really that scary?" Sarlix muttered again.

Xymgrel looked around. There was nothing else around them…

Suddenly, fleeting shadows started to descend from a few buildings, each of the masses forming two yellow eyes and long antennas. In a short time, chaos and disorder was all that existed in the center of Midgar as civilians ran in every direction with Neoshadow Heartless creeping amongst them. Xymgrel apathetically spat on the ground. Both Sarlix and he were the only humanoid figures in the entire center who were standing still instead of running amok.

"Heartless," Xymgrel began. "Wonder if Maleficent is here?"

"Who knows? But if she is, then we better get to work," Sarlix suggested. "Anyway, we're supposed to be trying to convert some super-warriors in this city into Heartless and Nobodies. Another erratic plan from good ol' Maleficent."

"I doubt we'll be able to accomplish something like that." Xymgrel stated.

"You scared, buddy?" Sarlix ridiculed.

"Not really. But if these warriors are indeed that powerful, converting them may be one hell of a hassle."

"True," Sarlix said in full agreement. "Still, let's go find these guys first."

They tore open a dark corridor and vanished into it. The Neoshadows continued to swarm and wreak havoc around the town. However, none of the Heartless touched a single civilian. Each one simply climbed, leapt, and crawled all over the place, and occasionally scratched through the air and uttered eerie hisses. Not that the civilians cared though; every one of them only felt fear and continued to run for shelter.

Not too far off, Tifa finally put up the "closed" sign on the bar's front door. The panicked screaming, however, was not unnoticeable. She looked out only to see the swarming Heartless and shook her head in dismay. She hurried back into the bar and dashed upstairs. Opening the door to one room, Tifa poked her head in to greet the faces of two young children.

"Marlene, Denzel. You two stay in here and _don't _go anywhere else, okay?" she whispered.

"But why?" Denzel, who was a little more daring, asked inquisitively.

"Don't ask me anything now, Denzel," Tifa quickly responded. "You and Marlene just stay here until I get back, got it?"

"Okay…" Marlene and Denzel said unhappily in unison.

Satisfied, Tifa shut the door, ran back downstairs, and barged out the bar. From her back pockets she drew two black leather gloves and quickly pulled them both over her two hands. She stopped in front of the first Neoshadow and stared angrily at the unwelcomed guest.

"How did you all get here?" she yelled at the Heartless, not caring whether or not the creature could respond. "Go back to where you came from!"

Tifa immediately started to ruthlessly and tirelessly pummel the victimized Neoshadow, which dissipated into the air in a matter of moments. Tifa then charged into the remaining crowds of civilians and started thrashing at every single Heartless she encountered. Her years of refined martial arts skills proved to be overkill for the Neoshadows. One by one, each Neoshadow was bested and disposed. Eventually, the continuously decreasing number of Heartless retreated into the darkness and out of the center of the city. With a quiet sigh, Tifa patted her gloves and cleaned off her clothes. She took out her phone and dialed the bar's number.

"Hello?" Marlene's voice sounded.

"Hey, Marlene. It's Tifa," she greeted. "You and Denzel take care of yourself for a little while, okay? I'll be back before you know it."

"Where are you going?"

"I've some things I have to attend to―"

"And where's Cloud?" Marlene inquired.

"―He's got some things to attend to, too." Tifa answered slowly. "Stay out of trouble, all right?"

"Okay…" Marlene said and she hung up.

Tifa sighed.

"Now to find Cloud and the others."

* * *

Sarlix and Xymgrel appeared in what seemed to be an uninhabited area, a conclusion they reached when all they saw were open space, dusty plains, and some scattered trees. The grass was faded yellow, which was the cause of the dry atmosphere in the area. Xymgrel stepped into the clearing and looked around. It was just nothingness for miles and miles.

Sarlix pulled her hood off her head and took a deep breath. She knelt down to the ground and pulled up some grass.

"This world is huge. We were in a banged up, giant metropolis at one time and now we're in the middle of a vast plain. How are we supposed to find anything here?" she complained.

"Look there," Xymgrel said after scanning the area for a bit. He pointed to a cliff.

An oversized sword was placed with its point stuck in the ground. The blade appeared rusted and antique, but the edges were razor sharp. The two Nobodies strolled by it for examination. Sarlix tried to lift it, but its weight was immense. Xymgrel then tried, faring no better than staggering once he pulled the sword out of the ground.

"Who carries such a thing?!" Xymgrel roared. "Who's crazy enough to wield such an unrealistic weapon?"

He tried swinging it, but the momentum of the sword was much too great for Xymgrel to handle.

"Yo, that's Cloud's weapon! Drop it!" someone yelled.

Sarlix quickly pulled her hood over her head and both Xymgrel and she looked up. A grand aircraft hovered above them, its engines droning and its propellers spinning furiously yet smoothly. There were two people on board, a bulky, overly muscular, dark-skinned man and a grumpy looking blonde man donning goggles, who was piloting the ship.

"You want trouble, fools?" the muscular man yelled. "If you do, brace yourselves! If not, I strongly suggest you put that sword back!"

"And who might you be?" Xymgrel asked loudly over the rumbling of the ship's engines.

"Drop the weapon, you bastard!" the man roared. After a few seconds without any movement from Xymgrel, the man pointed a mechanical arm at Xymgrel and fired a barrage of bullets.

Xymgrel dropped the Buster Sword and dodged to the side. Sarlix leapt far off the cliff and made a landing on the vast plains.

"Now if you would be so kind as to plug that sword back in its original spot, you will save yourself a _lot_ of trouble," the man yelled again.

"And what exactly are you? The patrol squad?" Xymgrel yelled back. "You're a little fat and old to be a patrol officer don't you think?"

Furious, the man leapt off the ship, with the pilot shouting numerous objections. He made a heavy landing in front of Xymgrel with his mechanical gun arm pointed at Xymgrel's face.

"Excuse me, what did you say?" he sneered.

"Barret, what do you think you're _doing_?" the pilot roared from above. "Get the hell back up here, you idiot!"

"Shut up, Cid! You know me well enough that I don't let no damn wanderer think he's better than me!"

Cid could be heard grumbling and waving his arms in protest. Barret smirked and turned back to Xymgrel and cocked his gun.

"Where were we? Oh, yeah. I'm about to shoot your punk-ass face off."

"Huh. Sure. As if I'll stand here and let you do that. Let's go, Sarlix," Xymgrel said quietly, almost in a mocking tone.

Before Barret could fire a single round of bullets at Xymgrel, both Nobodies sank into the ground and vanished before Cid and him.

"What the hell?" Barret yelled. "Cid, did you see that?!"

_E__h, I forgot he wasn't there before, _Cid sighed as he remembered. "Come back up here, and I'll tell you all about those kinds of people."

His phone started ringing.

"Cid here," he said.

"Hey, Cid, it's Aerith. Cloud wants to know where you are. He said there's some sort of trouble going on around us."

"Yeah, trouble, right. I've noticed it―"

A great thud sounded on the ship's deck.

"What was that?" Aerith asked.

"That was Barret…" Cid muttered.

"Oh, good, Cloud wanted to know where Barret was, too. Um, where exactly are you guys?"

"Midgar Plains. Get everyone else to meet here. The closest spot by the edge of the city, alright?"

"I got it," Aerith responded and hung up.

Barret, massaging his mechanical arm, approached Cid. He leaned against the banister on one side of the ship and stared into the sky.

"So who were those guys?" Barret asked. "They ain't normal people."

"You got that right," Cid grumbled.

* * *

Back in the Radiant Garden, the party—Sora, Kairi, Donald, Goofy, and Mickey made their way into the marketplace, which was full of life and was bustling with much more activity than Sora had expected. The marketplace used to be very empty, with only a few small shops open for business. However, now there were more shops open than Sora could count and there were hundreds and hundreds of townspeople roaming and attending to their own schedules.

"Donald, Goofy, and I will be going to Merlin's. Feel free to explore or come with us," Mickey began saying. "You do remember where Merlin's house is, don't ya, Sora?"

"I sure do," answered Sora. "Down in the first borough, um, and a little further inside, there's a small house…"

"Good enough. Well, we'll be goin' now," Mickey said as Donald, Goofy, and he turned and disappeared into the busy crowds.

So it was just Sora and Kairi in the middle of the Radiant Garden's central marketplace. Even though he spent a great deal of time there, Sora unexpectedly felt like a tourist. True, he had never seen so many new shops and people around the place before. All of a sudden, the world seemed… like a _normal _world. The town was definitely refurnished and did look spruced up as Mickey mentioned.

"Wow, I can't really seem to recall this place," Kairi said.

"It looks nice, doesn't it?" Sora commented. "I kinda wish _I_ was born here."

Kairi laughed and wondered out loud. "No, I think I'd still prefer a life of tropical, island paradise over a city life."

"That's because you've never gotten used to the city life, Kairi."

"That's true…" Kairi decided.

She paused. She wanted to do something that will hopefully relieve her and Sora's stress. Anything that will occupy their minds for a good while will do.

"Hey, Sora, let's go look around!" Kairi suddenly suggested.

"Uh, okay?" Sora said as Kairi grabbed his hand and yanked him into the crowds.

The two of them rushed through the crowds, visiting random shops and attractions, finally acting like normal teenagers who spend their time outdoors for nothing more than carefree leisure. For the time being, "Heartless" and "Nobodies" meant nothing more than just words.


	16. Another Story

**Chapter XVI:**

By the time the entire group gathered at the border between Midgar and the plains, the sun was setting and the shadows of each person could no longer be seen. All boarding Cid's airship, the Shera, the group only sought to discuss the mysterious trouble that loomed around them all. It was trouble with a familiar sense to Cloud, Yuffie, Aerith, Tifa, and Cid, but completely unknown to Barret and Vincent. Tifa started off by sharing the event of her brief encounter with the masses of Neoshadows around Edge, but this only caused confusion for Barret and Vincent. Thus, another lengthy discussion had to come first.

"Will you do the honors and tell them the story, Yuffie?" Tifa asked. "Since you were there for all of it?"

"Sure. Ahem, all right, you two," the energetic ninja girl started, directing her words at Barret and Vincent. "The black, shadowy creatures that Tifa fought with not a while ago were called Heartless. They are denizens of darkness, neither living nor dead, that were born from the darkness of people's hearts. And as we all know―there is darkness in every single heart, no matter how great of a person you are."

Cloud shifted uncomfortably for a moment. He only recently fought with the darkness in his own heart, in addition fighting with his darkness-borne arch-nemesis, Sephiroth.

"Now, the Heartless have been swarming and consuming worlds for quite a while," Yuffie continued. "They were stopped eventually by a nice kid named Sora, who wields a special weapon called the Keyblade. They say the Keyblade is the only weapon capable of releasing the hearts that the Heartless have stolen. So when the Keyblade destroys a Heartless, the heart is freed from the darkness and returns to the rightful individual.

"And as we all learned, victory never comes easily. A year later, the Heartless eventually returned again to cause a bunch of new problems―"

"What about the two damn wanderin' fools that Cid and I ran into before―" Barret cut in.

"Hold up! I'm getting to that," Yuffie grumbled. "Anyway, it was a year after Sora defeated the Heartless for the first time. On a side note, some odd things happened during that year, including the loss of Sora's memories. What was even weirder was that everyone who knew Sora had their memories of Sora slowly erased as well. But then Sora came back and slowly everyone's memories of him were restored. That was pretty cool.

"Now let me get back to the bad stuff. After the one year and the Heartless returned, a new group of enemies showed up. These were called the Nobodies. We learned that the Nobodies were born whenever a Heartless is born. Basically this means that whenever an individual loses his or her heart, a Heartless half is created along with a Nobody half. Nobodies are basically 'imaginary' beings that are simply incomplete. Now, these Nobodies were then controlled by a group of crazy people called Organization XIII, made up of, duh, thirteen members. What was also weird was that all thirteen members were also Nobodies. Just to make Barret happy, guess what these members looked like? Yup. Black trench coats and hoods.

"As for Sora, the poor guy was literally stalked and driven crazy by the organization. I'm not too sure exactly what they wanted from him, but I do know they wanted to manipulate him in some way to serve their own greedy purposes. Battle after battle, though, Sora wiped out the members of the organization one by one. Eventually, Sora and his friends reach the end of their journey, deep in the heart of the organization's stronghold. There, they defeated the rest of the remaining organization members and faced off with the organization's top guy. If I remember correctly, they finally won and it was over. Or so we thought…"

The rest of the group who were involved with the battles against the Heartless nodded in agreement with Yuffie's version of the story. Barret and Vincent seemed like they understood the story, as well.

"Sounds like this Sora's a pretty tough kid!" Barret said with a vigorous laugh.

"Yeah, he is. You don't want to mess with him," Cloud mentioned flatly.

"Did you?" Barret inquired.

"Once. And I've seen him fight. He's a tough kid," Cloud answered.

The group stayed silent for a while; gathering and confirming their information and shared any other pieces of knowledge before offering ideas. The threat for them was basically the returning presence of the Heartless and Nobodies, nothing more.

"How do you know all that, Yuffie? I don't remember you personally escorting Sora and his friends everywhere." Aerith asked.

"Remember King Mickey? Before everyone went home, he stopped by the Radiant Garden and shared the story. Y'know, just to clear everything up in case anyone was confused. I was the only one there at the time," Yuffie replied. "Plus, you can't forget a story like that, Heartless and all."

"One thing for certain though," Tifa said suddenly. The group looked towards her. "There are definitely more Heartless than ever before. I've seen the numbers, it was like a never-ending river of darkness."

"So what do you suggest we do, then?" Vincent asked.

"Simple," Aerith responded. "We find Sora and offer whatever help we can offer. The Heartless and Nobodies are threats to all worlds, not just ours."

"How we gonna do that?" Barret asked. "Travelin' _out_ of our world to another? Never heard of that style of flyin' before."

"Leave that to me," Cid answered.

Barret nodded. He looked to Cloud, who nodded back. The rest of the group all looked at one another and nodded in agreement. They knew what they had to do. All that remained was timing and… where will they head to first if they wished to find Sora?


	17. The Frustration of Similar Minds

**Chapter XVII:**

With the sun setting quickly, Merlin torched the logs in his fireplace and lit a few antique oil lamps. Flicking his wand, Merlin powered a teapot to magically pour into a few mugs, each of which then floated to his guests, Mickey, Donald, and Goofy, who all sat calmly on a large couch in silence. The murky-orange flames danced and crackled to add a feeling of mysticism in the room. Merlin stroked his long, white beard and paced around the room while his guests sipped their drinks and followed him with their eyes. Time continued to tick, and the sorcerer continued to pace around the room, stroking his beard, thinking, and mumbling.

"Merlin?" Mickey asked.

"Ah… er, oh," the old wizard continued to mumble. "Oh, yes... I mean, no. No, I was just thinking of something."

Donald shook his head in a lack of interest. Mickey sighed.

"If you've noticed, the Heartless have not yet appeared in the Radiant Garden," Merlin said. "And we do want to keep it that way, yes?"

"Of course, Merlin. But that's not why we're here," Mickey said. "We need to know where we can find some help. We need to free the other worlds invaded by the Heartless―"

"And stop Maleficent and all her evil plans, hyuck!" added Goofy.

"Right," whispered Mickey. "Got any ideas, old friend?"

"Ah," Merlin replied quietly. He turned around to face the walls and resumed pacing around the room. The fires continued to sizzle, occasionally spitting sparks that scattered into the air. "Have you found Sora yet?"

"Yeah! He's here with us," Donald said excitedly, slurping his tea. "He should be at the marketplace."

"Is that so? Well," Merlin answered, turning around to face his guests again. "By all means! Bring him here!"

* * *

"I _knew_ it was something that made those other kids call us cute!" Kairi whispered to Sora.

"Yeah, that was really… interesting," Sora said, chuckling modestly.

"Yeah, pretty interesting," Kairi supposed.

Had they realized they were holding hands the entire time when they strolled around the sidewalks, the little envious comments from the other teenagers in the marketplace would not have even been put forth. Yet, Sora and Kairi held each other's hands while they strolled from one side of the marketplace to the other, browsing the shops, enjoying the little street performances, and innocently relaxing. When a group of teenagers, relatively the same age as Sora and Kairi, passed by them, "aww's" and "cute's" and mesmerized sighs could be documented multiple times.

At first, the two were slightly confused as to why the passing teens were winking at them and as to why one girl even said, "_Why can't you be that close to me?_" to her apparent boyfriend. It was then they realized that they were holding hands and were standing much closer to each other than they usually did. Exchanging a quick glance and an awkward chuckle, the two slowly and simultaneously released their hands.

"You know I was only holding your hand because I didn't want you to get lost, right?" Kairi said, jokingly.

_Yeah, right,_ she thought to herself; she wanted to take her words back and say what she truly wanted to say instead. Self-control suggested her to hold back.

"Yeah, same here," said Sora a bit uncomfortably.

_What?_ he thought. _Same what? Er…_

Amid a state of awkwardness and mind-boggling personal thoughts, the two friends continued their way around the marketplace. Even with constant noises around them, such as the hundreds of civilian chats and discussions, clanging and clattering of props from street performers, and numerous other indistinguishable sounds, the uncomfortable silence between Sora and Kairi was deafening for them. Neither one had the will strong enough to initiate a conversation. The only things they could do were to sneak glances at each other when the other was not paying attention or to silently, and frustratingly, remain in their awkward situation.

_This is horrible_, Sora grimaced. _Kairi and I talk all the time with every chance we have. Why is it so different now? Are we just being silly or are we really changing? We just _had_ to hold hands with each other!_

_I haven't said anything to him for a while_, Kairi thought miserably._ What happened to us? Usually we can't shut each other up, and now we can't get each other to talk. I sort of wish I _didn't_ grab his hand before…_

Just as Sora was about to open his mouth to speak, the sound of multiple footsteps grew closer and closer to them. In a short time, Donald and Goofy appeared in front of them. They were panting and wheezing from running a fairly long distance between the first borough and the middle of the marketplace.

"Sora, Kairi, c'mon!" Donald quacked. "You two need to get to Merlin's right away."

"Oh," Kairi said. She looked at Sora and noticed his burning frustration.

_At least we still get to be miserable together, _she noted with little reprieve. _Not like we lost everything,_

"All right," Sora finally sighed, his shoulders sagging. "Let's get going, then."

Sora and Kairi walked past Donald and Goofy in silence and led the way. Donald and Goofy tagged along behind them and kept a fair distance away.

"Gawrsh, Donald, what do you think is goin' on between Sora and Kairi?" Goofy questioned as quietly as possible. "They don't look so good."

"Who knows, I don't understand kids these days," Donald scoffed.

"You think maybe we should ask 'em?" Goofy suggested.

"Wak! No!" Donald shouted, drawing Sora and Kairi's attention.

"Huh?" they both asked at the same time.

Sora looked at Kairi for a brief moment and scratched his head, perplexed.

"Is there something wrong? Something… on my head, Donald?" Sora asked.

"Oh, no, no, no," Donald sputtered and waved his arms frantically. "Never mind."

The sun completely set and the evening moon rose into the tourmaline blue sky by the time the group arrived in front of Merlin's home. The outside of the house appeared exactly the way Sora remembered it: small and simple.

"Good ol' Merlin," Sora said spontaneously, trying to lighten the mood.

The group entered the house together and was instantly greeted by Mickey and Merlin. Merlin once again magically enhanced a teapot to pour drinks by itself and had the tea-filled mugs float to their respective guests. Sora and Kairi offered "no, thank you's" to the tea and sat down together on a couch. The flames from the fireplace continued to flash with glowing intensity.

"Sora, m'boy! It's good to see you again!" Merlin cheered.

"It's good to se you too, Merlin," Sora replied earnestly.

Merlin switched his attention away from Sora for a moment. "Ah, and dear Kairi."

"Hello, Merlin," Kairi greeted and smiled meekly.

"Good, good!" Merlin exclaimed, more to himself than anyone else. "We have three out of four Keyblade-wielders here. Then I must ask, where is the fourth?"

"Umm, Riku's… missing," Sora reported, his smile turning in the opposite direction.

"I do pray he is safe then," Merlin said. "His help would be invaluable."

"We all do," Sora added.

"Well―" he started again, nodding while he looked towards Mickey, Donald, and Goofy, then back to Sora and Kairi. "Well, then. I assume you both know your magic?"

Sora and Kairi looked at each other in question and then shook their heads.

"Dear me," Merlin mumbled. "Well, we best use our time wisely now."

"Actually, I remember some of my spells out of nowhere sometimes," Sora interrupted. "Like when Kairi and I were in trouble before in Destiny Islands, I used the Reflect, Fire, and Cure spells out of nowhere. That's pretty much all I remember now."

"Hmm, intriguing," said Merlin, stroking his beard. "Then I think you'll be fine with a little refresher lesson. And how about you, Kairi?"

"Heh, I don't know any magic at all," Kairi replied quietly, letting out a small giggle.

"Tsk tsk," Merlin said, shaking his head. "A Keyblade-wielder must know some forms of magic! I will start with Sora and move you all along your journeys. I will leave Sora the responsibility to teach you the forms of magic. I assume you two will have plenty of time during your journey to practice magic."

Sora sat up and his eyes bulged slightly in surprise.

"Me? Teach? Really?"

"Of course. If you teach, I guarantee it will also help you remember the spells. Just so you won't carelessly forget everything again," Merlin lectured.

_Another excuse to spend time together,_ Sora thought. _How does everything always seem to go in one direction all the time?_

_Hmm, this could be interesting, _Kairi thought. _I wonder how this will turn out. Good? Awkward again?_

She knew she loved the idea. She would have applauded and cheered with glee. One thing, though, Kairi still had her fears. What if Sora thought of her as nothing more than a good friend? That was Kairi's main fear. Besides that, it was pain. Not physical pain, but emotional pain. At the moment, they were nothing more than close friends. An indescribable barrier had kept their closeness at bay, with neither person developing anything more. Kairi wanted to shatter the barrier and go forth. Yet, her final fear was the possibility of Sora dwelling behind the barrier for all eternity.

These were Kairi's thoughts that she believed were well-kept secrets. Sora certainly did not have any remote ideas about how Kairi thought of him. He himself remained confused as to where their friendship was heading. If Sora had anything to fear, it would be the fear of finding out the answer to his question.

_Where is this friendship leading us?_ he asked himself.

For Kairi, she could only imagine and dream of where the friendship was heading towards. She hummed the one song that always kept her heart and mind tranquil.

_["Regardless of warnings,  
The future doesn't scare me at all.  
Nothing's like before."]_


	18. One Step Closer

**Chapter XVIII:**

Sarlix and Xymgrel stood by a dark corner on the plains and watched as the Shera took off into the night sky. Evidently, the warriors they were supposed to seek out had just departed from the world. Without hesitation, Sarlix focused her powers on a random member on the Shera, attempting to pry into the hapless victim's mind.

Momentarily, on the Shera, Cloud suddenly felt his mind convulse and his balance slipping away. He tried to shake away the odd feeling and sat down on one of the chairs in the pilot's cabin. Cid was focused on piloting and was unable to pick up on Cloud's peculiar facial expression. The rest of the group were scattered around the cabin, each person minding his or her own business. Cloud remained seated and rubbed his head, a bead of sweat sliding down the side of his face.

"You don't look so well," Vincent murmured as he passed by. "Sick?"

"I don't think so," Cloud responded, still massaging his head. "Where are we heading to first?"

"I wouldn't know. Ask Cid."

"The Radiant Garden, of course," Cid yelled from the front.

_Of course,_ Cloud thought. _That place is like a second home to all of us._

With that one thought, the odd feeling in his head vanished and his mental being returned to normal.

"What the hell…" he muttered.

"What is it?" Vincent questioned.

"Nothing. I just had this strange feeling in my head before. It just disappeared all of a sudden."

"Huh," Vincent grunted in response as he continued on his way.

The Shera broke through the world's atmosphere and gradually warped out of sight and into the void, well on its way to the Radiant Garden.

"Nice. First time I've seen actual space," Barret remarked.

"Technically we're in the void, but it's pretty satisfying sometimes. Let's hope those Heartless don't screw up our world again while we're gone," Cid replied.

Back on the plains, Sarlix dropped her focus and turned to face Xymgrel. She put her hood back over her head and motioned for him to follow her.

_The Radiant Garden,_ Sarlix noted to herself. She opened a dark portal and stepped into it.

"We're going to the Radiant Garden, come on."

"How did you find out where they were going?" Xymgrel asked as he followed.

"I have my ways."

The figures of the Nobodies disappeared from the plains as the dark portal slowly closed and dissipated into the air.

* * *

"Sora? Do you wish to begin now, or would you prefer to call it a night and we start tomorrow morning?"

Sora looked to the old wizard and gave the choices some thought. The fires were dying out and the brilliant moonlight could be seen shining through the windowpanes. It was well into the night, but still a few hours off midnight. Sora decided to take up some magic refreshing courses with Merlin right away.

"Let's start right now and work a few hours," Sora suggested.

"Good! Very ambitious. We will start now and we will review tomorrow morning," said Merlin.

Sora nodded. Kairi yawned.

"If you guys don't mind, I think I'll call it a day for me," Kairi said tiredly. With a smile, she lied down on the couch with her head on the armrest.

Merlin stroked his beard and started mumbling to himself.

"Ooh, er, oh yes, ah…" his wand flashed once and was followed by a weak tremor. "Done! Sora, please show Kairi upstairs to the first room on the right. Perfectly suitable for a princess of heart."

_Man, she looks out of it,_ Sora noted. He poked Kairi's arm and got her to open her eyes.

"C'mon, Kairi. I'm gonna show you to your room," he said.

"Oh, okay… thanks," Kairi responded absentmindedly with a yawn.

The two started upstairs through a narrow winding staircase that, for some reason, seemed like all sorcerers or sorceresses owned in their homes. The entire second floor was completely wooden, built on planks that seemed centuries old. Though it appeared ancient and out of date, the second story brought about an aura of calmness and refuge. Eagerly, Kairi jolted awake and followed closely behind Sora. They approached the first room on the right in the hallway and pushed open the door. Indeed it was fitting for a princess of heart. A grand-sized bed was planted at the head of the room, quality tapestries were spread all across the walls, and antique cabinets and tables lined the room's edges. Thin rays of gentle moonlight showered through the great windows that covered one side of the room. The moon itself could be seen glowing high in the night sky.

Kairi squealed with glee and Sora found himself staring at the majestic room in sheer astonishment. This kind of room was the last thing he would expect to find in Merlin's tiny, simple hut. Sora wondered if this was even Merlin's room to begin with. It seemed far too extravagant for a humble old man. In fact, it was far too feminine to be Merlin's personal belongings. Pink blankets and light-pink pillows were distributed about the large, fluffy bed. Sora raised his eyebrow as he humorously imagined Merlin actually sleeping in such a bed.

Sora felt something pulling at his arm. It was both of Kairi's hands tugging at him.

"Sora, come on! Aren't you in any way excited about this room?" Kairi continued squealing excitedly.

"Believe me, I definitely am! But, aren't you tired? You did look _really_ tired a while ago. Why don't you get some sleep?" Sora suggested.

Kairi gave Sora a mischievous look.

"Hey, I was _faking_ it…"

"Faking it?" Sora asked, surprised.

"Mhm," Kairi smiled.

"What for?"

_Oh great!_ Kairi thought. _He's too curious._

"Kairi?"

_Quick,_ _think of something to say, anything!_

"Kairi? Hellooo…"

"Hey, Sora! Whenever you're ready, come on down and you and Merlin can get started!" Mickey's voice sounded from a story down.

"Okay, Your Majesty! I'll be right there," Sora hollered. He whispered lightly, "Get some sleep anyway, Kairi. I guess I'll see you in the morning?"

"Okay, fine," said Kairi, pouting. "Go play with your little magic, hmph!"

_I'm being so selfish,_ Kairi thought to herself.

Part of her felt particularly playful. She longed to spend more time with her dear friend. Then again, another side of her wished for Sora to remain the dutiful warrior that he was. Unable to convince herself to do anything, a teardrop collected at the tips of her long eyelashes. While one side was upset over Sora's departure, the other was simply frustrated.

Sora was already at the top of the staircase ready to head down, but he turned, stopped, and looked back to Kairi, who had sunk into the soft bed. At the sight of her sagging shoulders, Sora sighed and returned to her.

He saw the teardrop tremble at the corner of Kairi's eye, ready to drop any moment, and he did the only thing any good friend could do. He took his thumb and gently wiped off the one teardrop and looked into her eyes. They were moist, but not showing any signs of bursting out tears.

"What's up, Kairi?" Sora finally asked. "Hey, c'mon…"

Kairi sat up and tried her best to shake off the remnants of her inexcusable selfishness. She took a deep breath, held it, and let out a long, heavy sigh that surely drew Sora's attention.

"I really must be tired," she lied, adding a feigned laugh.

Sora figured something was in the air. All he managed to do was show a crooked smile and stretch out his arms for Kairi. The girl instantly gave in and smiled back, simultaneously letting herself fall gently into Sora's embrace. She firmly wrapped her arms around her dear friend and rested her head on his chest. For a moment, Kairi wished she could just fall into an eternal sleep right there, listening to Sora's heartbeats and gentle breathing.

"Gawrsh, what do you think is takin' Sora?" Goofy wondered.

"Ah, Goofy. Let those two have some time to themselves," said Merlin. "Our lesson could wait a few more minutes, it is not too big a deal."

"I'm here," Sora called from behind the group. Donald and Mickey peeked over the heads of Goofy and Merlin.

"Oh, dear, you scared me there, Sora. Ahem! Well, now, are you ready? Shall we get started?" Merlin asked.

"Ready when you are, Merlin!"

Merlin nodded. He summoned a spell that enchanted a large table in the middle of the room.

"Hop on, Sora!"

Sora did as he was told and he and Merlin were escorted through the air by the floating table. They then traversed into a different location: a circular room with numerous household objects and appliances. Sora recognized this room as where he first trained under Merlin's instructions in Traverse Town. It was indeed the same room.

Merlin took out his wand and conjured a few spells that animated the bowls, plates, drawers, and cupboards around the room. Awaiting his orders, Sora summoned his Keyblade and awaited the first magic drill…


	19. Magic Refresher Course

**Chapter XIX:**

"Now, Sora. You have four _basic_ magic spells at your disposal, can you name them?"

"Um," Sora started thinking. "Fire, Blizzard, Thunder, and Cure?"

"Good," Merlin replied. "Which ones are you the most familiar with?"

"Fire and Cure, I think, but―"

"But you do know certain situations call for different elements, agreed?"

"Yeah. But―"

"Have a test run with Fire. Aim carefully now so you won't burn down my house!"

Sora shot a bolt of flame at various objects around the room. Merlin decided to increase the difficulty by increasing the speed and evasiveness of the objects, causing Sora to accidentally set a corner of the room ablaze.

"My, my, that's one great inferno cooking that side of the room, eh?"

"Sorry, Merlin."

"Now there's no need for apologies. This is the perfect opportunity to call for a spell that will extinguish the fire. What spell can put out that fire?"

"Blizzard?"

"The power of ice will do nicely, but what is the classic element that people always use to put out fires?"

"Um… w-water…?"

"Correct! I will now teach you how to combine Water with Blizzard. It can be quite an impressive combination of magic."

With a flick of his wand, a strong stream of water spewed out of Merlin's wand, pouring onto the conflagration. Immediately the fire died out, leaving only a patch of sizzling gray on the ground.

"That is the Water spell. I want you to hit some of the objects here with Water. Then I want you to cast Blizzard immediately after you summon Water. Try it, see what happens."

Sora yelled out the Water spell. Nothing came out.

"Sora, like Fire, imagine the elements pulsing through your body. Your home is on the islands, correct? Imagine the waves, feel the cold splashes."

Sora closed his eyes and imagined the great waves on Destiny Islands. He imagined the cool feeling of the seawater splashing onto his feet.

"Water!"

Instantly, a high-pressured, rocketing gush of water blasted from the Keyblade and crashed into a compilation of plates and cups, scattering pieces of broken glass and ceramics in all directions. The force was great enough to send Sora flying back a few feet.

"Very, very impressive, Sora. An astonishing start!" Merlin applauded enthusiastically. "Now, do the same thing to that closet, and follow up immediately with the power of ice."

It was a far more difficult task than it actually sounded. Two consecutive magic spells typically required proficient responses to the powers of the elements. One moment Sora must focus entirely on the force of water and in a split second he must mentally shift to focus on ice. After several sloppy and close, but nonetheless failed attempts, Merlin offered some helpful advice.

"Ice is a derivative of water, is it not? Basically, if you want to cast Blizzard right after Water, you must think of Blizzard being nothing more than a repetition of the Water spell, just… frozen."

Merlin demonstrated by rapidly firing streams of water and then following up with blasts of ice crystals. He hit many floating objects with deadly accuracy. Each of the soaked objects were the immediately frozen solid by the shards of ice.

Sora nodded; it became clear to him. He began channeling the Water spell. As soon as he released the torrent of water, he focused on water again, this time feeling the element of ice at the same time. He imagined he was at the top of the mountain summits of the Land of Dragons, where snow and ice covered the entire landscape. He released his second blast of water, but in the form of an ice missile instead. The Blizzard spell worked amazingly well in combination with the Water spell, just like Merlin said it would. The Water spell drenched the targeted closet and the follow-up Blizzard spell encased the furniture in an ice prison. Sora was satisfied with the result.

"See how dandy the two spells can be when worked one after the other? And there are many styles in which you can combine Water and Blizzard, which you can find out by experimentation."

"It's still pretty hard."

"Of course, it is! I do believe this is your first time using the Water spell, isn't it? Don't worry about it, Sora, you will get used to it with some practice. Now, let's move on to the next series of spells, shall we?"

"I'm ready."

"Good. Thunder. One of the strongest elements there is; a very deadly spell. I'm certain you are familiar with Thunder?"

"Uh, I-I think so."

"Good! These objects will spin around you. I want you to hit every single one with the Thunder spell."

Sora assumed a fighter stance as Merlin sent huge fleets of cups, bowls, plates, closets, wardrobes, cupboards, tables, and chairs flying around him.

_There's so many!_ Sora muttered to himself. The flying objects virtually encased him in an impenetrable ball. Sora could not even see Merlin anymore. Sora tried to cast a few series of Thunder spells that only destroyed a few appliances.

"Are you all right in there, Sora?"

"There's too many, Merlin!"

"Thunder is not a condensed power like Fire! It is only deadly because it can hit numerous targets at a time. Now, how strong do you think Thunder will be if it is actually condensed?"

"_Very_ strong?"

"Yes, _very _strong! Now, tell me, Sora, which advanced element can help you with condensing?"

Sora thought for a moment, though the spinning objects around him were beyond aggravating.

"Magnet?" Sora asked finally.

"You don't sound certain, Sora. Do you believe it is the forces of magnetic fields? Experiment!"

Sora closed his eyes and imagined the pressures of gravity building around him. He pointed his Keyblade directly above him and forced the condensed energy out of the Keyblade and through the confining household objects. A glob of bright energy appeared near the ceiling and all the objects were gradually sucked into or around it. Sora smiled and unleashed a powerful discharge of lightning. The magnetic ball of energy fused the bolts from the Thunder spell together, creating a chain of pure energy which soon efficiently destroyed _every_ object that came within contact. Sora panted with exhaustion after being liberated from his household-objects-prison.

Merlin chuckled. "So, it was the Magnet and Thunder combination!"

"Yeah, it was. Phew―that was really weird, being stuck under so many flying household objects."

"I understand. Ahem! Well, let's move on to our final spells for tonight. We'll start with the intermediate element, Reflect, first."

"I know Reflect pretty well."

"Then I will test you on your Reflect spell's capabilities. Be ready."

Merlin again shot off countless household objects and appliances at Sora, who stood his ground and cast off the Reflect spell several times, countering the crashing objects. However, the difficulty of the drill became higher and higher as Merlin sent more and more objects flying at Sora, with some as large and dense as refrigerators. Any instances of poor timing could result in serious injuries.

"Ugh!"

Sora flew back as a dishwasher rocketed onto his back and sent him flying forward and crashing into a pile of broken plastic, glass, and ceramics.

"I pray that you will not have anything as large and heavy as a dishwasher crashing into you on your journeys. But there will be times when you just cannot counter absolutely _everything_ thrown at you. You must have a backup."

Sora muttered the Cure spell and kicked off the dishwasher.

"This will be your final test for tonight, Sora. I will throw as many objects, large and small, at you as I can. Do all you can do with the magic spells at your disposal. Remember, the more familiar you are with a certain element, the stronger that element will be."

So came the final test of the night, as Sora was forced to combine the powers of Fire, Water, Blizzard, Thunder, Magnet, Reflect, and Cure to break the incoming objects or defend himself from the incoming objects. Once in a while, some physical combat was necessary in countering the larger appliances. Sora easily passed Merlin's little exam and was dismissed.

"You progress at a remarkable pace, Sora. This magic lesson, I hope, helped reinforce you knowledge on magic," Merlin concluded. "Get some rest, and we will review tomorrow morning. After that, it will be your duty to pass all the knowledge onto Kairi. She needs the magic abilities as much as you do. All wielders of the Keyblade, such as yourself, need the knowledge of magic."

"It did help," said Sora. "I'll see you in the morning, Merlin."

"Good night, Sora."

Sora turned and proceeded back to the first floor. The living room was dark and he could hear Mickey, Donald, and Goofy snoring in their deep sleep. Sora fumbled around for a clock or a watch, something with the time. He eventually approached the bottom of the staircase leading to the second floor, which had an antique clock hanging nearby. Sora was somewhat shocked to find out that it was well past midnight. He spent almost six hours practicing magic spells. Just by finding out the time, Sora suddenly felt a wave of fatigue. The long hours spent on magic did take its toll.

He slowly dragged himself up the winding staircase and approached Kairi's room. Without hesitating, he carefully and gently turned the doorknob.

_ Unlocked? _Sora wondered. He pushed open the door carefully with equal gentleness as not to wake up a sleeping Kairi. He silently walked into the great room. It would have been completely dark if it had not been for the moonlight that shone through the windows. Sora felt the need to ensure Kairi's safety, so he approached the bed.

Kairi was sound asleep. Her eyes fluttered every so often, probably in response to the moonlight shining on her face. Sora turned to the window and pulled together the fancy drapery to block out the light. Sora turned back to Kairi and pulled the blankets a little closer around the sleeping girl's body. Serenity filled the room―and even with the existing Heartless threats that could be anywhere at any time, a rare feeling of tranquility filled Sora's mind. After one final glance at Kairi, Sora quietly made his way to a couch at the opposite side of the room. He took it upon himself to be the sentry and to sleep there for the night.


	20. The Gathering, and Another Step Closer

**Chapter XX:**

At dawn, Kairi woke up from her satisfying and vitalizing sleep. At first, she was unable to remember whether she pulled the curtains together the previous night or not, or if she did snuggle and tuck her blankets all around her. Kairi shrugged her questions off and proceeded in getting out of bed. She examined her still torn clothes and decided to ask Merlin if he could mend the clothes with magic.

After getting dressed, Kairi was alarmed by an odd sound in the room. However, relief overcame her as she saw Sora's figure flopped over on a couch on the opposite side of the room. He held his Keyblade upright, making him appear as if he was awake and alert. Upon closer inspection, one could see that his eyes were closed as he let out calm, periodic snores. Kairi smiled and decided not to wake up her sleeping friend. She tiptoed out the door and into the hallway.

Being that it was awfully early in the day—as the sun had yet to emerge over the horizon, Kairi did not expect to find many of her companions up and about. Unexpectedly, Kairi found the front door wide open when she made her way downstairs. Someone must be awake.

Donald and Goofy were still sprawled over the sofas and couches, both sound asleep. Then it could be either Mickey or Merlin who was awake and perhaps outside. After some consideration, Kairi decided it would also be helpful to stretch and get some fresh air outside before the day actually started. Still, she wished to find Merlin, just so she could perhaps have her increasingly uncomfortable dress fixed up…

Luckily for Kairi, Merlin was indeed awake, but he was indoors. Caught by surprise, Kairi let out a small yelp when Merlin appeared in front of her through a puff of blue smoke.

"Now, now, you mustn't be alarmed, Kairi," Merlin chuckled. "I often tend to travel via blue smoke. Anyhow―eh, you seem to be confused, Kairi. Are you looking for something?"

"Yeah, actually, I was looking for you, Merlin," said Kairi. "I was wondering if you have any way of fixing up my dress."

Merlin tapped his feet and stroked his beard in thought.

"Undeniably, magic can do amazing things," he proudly declared. "Come, come, Kairi! Let me demonstrate!"

Merlin and Kairi entered another room nearby. It was a small room with nothing but a single round table placed in the center. Merlin bid Kairi to sit on the table and relax while he prepared a simple "fixing" spell.

Kairi shut her eyes as a white beam of light flashed from Merlin's wand and struck her in the chest. She imagined pain, but there was none. All Kairi felt was a blanket of warmth enveloping her body. Slowly, she opened her eyes and found the fading white light coating her clothes. When the light fully dissolved away, her original pink dress was no longer torn. Everything looked brand new again.

"That was very cool. Thank you, Merlin!" Kairi cheered.

"You are very welcome, Kairi. I couldn't possibly have you traveling in worn out clothes, now could I? No, you must be comfortable while traveling! It is as simple as that."

Kairi thanked Merlin again and turned to make her way to the staircase and return to the second floor. She never truly experienced the practicalities of magic. Seeing firsthand what endless possibilities could be opened up, Kairi wondered if she had what it took to master such spells.

* * *

At the Postern, much further into the Radiant Garden, Mickey waited patiently for a ship's landing. He saw it before the sun even rose into the sky, a small light shining still hundreds of miles above the atmosphere. Friend or foe, Mickey wished to investigate.

His fear of meeting up with more enemies gradually disappeared as he heard somewhat familiar voices from the descending ship. Although he could not recognize the voices from the booming engines of the massive aircraft, he had a feeling he knew the people. The ship landed, the cabin roof lifted, and Mickey beamed. He immediately recognized Yuffie, Cid, Cloud, Tifa, and Aerith.

"You guys came back!" he exclaimed.

"Yup!" Yuffie cheered as she lifted Mickey off the ground and swung him around in a circle.

"How's everythin', your Majesty?" Cid asked briskly as Yuffie put the mouse king back on the ground.

"Well," Mickey said, clearing his throat. "Everything's goin' pretty well over here. Hey, how does your world look? Is everything fully restored?"

Mickey remembered the time when they all fought against the Heartless near the very location they were standing in. It was one of the greatest Heartless sieges he had ever dealt with and was extremely glad that Cloud, Tifa, Aerith, and Yuffie were there in the front lines battling alongside him.

"Everything was restored," Aerith said. "But it wasn't long before the Heartless attacked us again. Even some of the Nobodies―"

"You met Nobodies?" Mickey asked, exasperated.

"Cid and Barret did," Yuffie pointed over. "Barret's the big guy."

"Er… nice to meet ya, Barret!"

"Hey, you're a king? Then it's an honor meeting you!" Barret chuckled, shaking Mickey's hand.

Mickey felt dizzy from the heavy shaking from Barret's great strength. He shook his head to wake himself up.

"So, Barret… Cid," he resumed. "I wonder, what did these Nobodies look like?"

"I couldn't really tell," said Barret. "They were two of 'em. And they were in these blank cloaks―"

"That's what I was afraid of…" Mickey sighed.

Not a single person changed since their last encounters. Cloud still had his blonde, spiky hair and his enigmatic look. A gargantuan sword was strapped to his back; the Buster Sword that was planted in the Midgar plains earlier. As a sign of letting go of his past, Cloud set down his signature sword as a memorial piece. But the unexpected turn of events called for him, forcing him to take up his old blade once again.

Tifa, still stunning in appearance, retained her graceful look. Her long, silky black hair rested lightly over her black leather attire. She placed her gloved hands at her hips, waiting for more information.

Aerith still donned a red bow over her brown, braided hair and wore a simple, pinkish dress. Casually rocking back and forth, she, too, awaited information.

Cid still wore a simple t-shirt with jeans, along with a set of pilot goggles placed casually across his forehead, signifying his mastery of the skies. Lighting up a cigarette, the gruff man mumbled to himself as he took a puff.

Yuffie was still dressed in her typical ninja uniform, headband and all, with her humongous shuriken slung over her back. The young girl, though more mature than she was in years prior, was still the one with the biggest attitude amongst the party.

Cloud, Tifa, and Vincent were the last to make their way to their comrades. Mickey greeted them and was then introduced to the melancholy Vincent.

"Vincent, huh?" Mickey asked.

"That's correct," Vincent murmured.

Mickey nodded in acknowledgement.

"Oh, that's right," he said suddenly. "Sora and Kairi are here! They're waiting at Merlin's."

"Merlin's! Hah, he better not have screwed up my computer," Cid roared happily, tossing out his cigarette.

"Kairi? Who's this Kairi? You didn't mention any Kairi, Yuffie," Barret wondered.

"Oh, if I recall, Kairi's this sweet girl that Sora hangs out with," Yuffie replied. "I think I've only seen her once and I haven't seen her for a _very_ long time. I wonder if she'll remember any of us?"

"I've never met her," Cloud admitted quietly.

"Me neither," Tifa added.

"Hell, I don't think _I_ even remember her," Cid followed.

"Well, then!" Mickey cut in. "That gives us more of a reason to hurry back. Kairi would be glad to meet you guys. And I know Sora would be more than happy to see all of you again."

"Then let's go!" roared Barret. "I wanna see how tough this Sora kid is!"

"Just don't mess with him," Cloud grunted.

"Yeah, yeah, spiky, I swear I won't…"

_

* * *

[Soraaaa…  
Sora, wake up…  
Hey, Sora!]_

"Huh, what? W-who?" Sora sputtered, kicking his legs into the air and flailing his arms in every direction.

Kairi giggled and peeked over Sora from above. The Keyblade master rubbed his eyes and sighed.

"Oh, good morning, Kairi," he said, sitting up. "How long have you been up?"

Kairi didn't answer and instead began dancing around the room and made it obvious that she was trying to show off her mended dress. Sora chuckled amusedly.

"Okay, I see it, Kairi. Did Merlin fix up your clothes for you?"

"You got it," she said as she stopped dancing. "Hey! Wake up!"

Kairi patted Sora's cheeks playfully. Sora, still only semi-awake, sputtered again and Kairi giggled in response.

"Ahh, I'm tired, Kairi! I was up all night practicing magic…"

"No, Sora, you're just a lazy bum!" Kairi smirked and changed her tone. "Hey, did you pull the curtains over and tuck me in last night after I fell asleep?"

_Yeah, and I don't know why I did it, but I sure felt like I had to,_ Sora said to himself.

"Yeah, that was me. You didn't mind, did you?" he asked.

"No way," Kairi said softly. "That was sweet of you."

_Sweet?_ Sora thought. _Is that what you call it?_

"Um, you're welcome… Or thanks? I guess?" Sora mumbled incoherently.

"Mm… nope," Kairi hummed, giving Sora a sincere smile. "Thank _you._"

* * *

Seven warriors and one mouse king marched through the first borough. Early morning risers peered out their windows at the unusual sight. What could they be doing here? Is the town in trouble again? Even with paranoid questions breezing through the townspeople's minds, the sight of the warriors did provide a sense of security; like patrol officers do for other towns and villages.

"These people are lookin' at us funny," Barret commented.

"Relax, people always do that when they see folks from another world," Cid said.

"Yo, but―"

"Shut up," Cloud retorted. "We're here."

The group appeared before Merlin's small, cottage-like house. The door was still open from when Mickey first left before dawn. Mickey stepped in first while the others stood waiting by the doorway. Donald and Goofy were _still_ asleep, but Mickey soon changed that fact.

"Donald! Goofy! Sound the alarms!" Mickey yelled out.

"Wak! Oh, no, no, show yourselves and I'll take 'em all down!" Donald randomly screeched, flapping his arms wildly and blindly.

"What's happenin'?!" Goofy cried out and leapt up from the sofa he was sleeping on, followed by spastically tripping across the room.

Mickey had no choice but to laugh at his friends. Donald and Goofy scrambled to stand up straight and then saluted their king.

"Calm down, fellas, I just wanted to get you guys to wake up. We have visitors!"

Donald and Goofy looked to the doorway and were instantly filled with joy, as well as relief. Mickey beckoned the group to enter the house. Yuffie sprinted in first and hung onto Donald and Goofy.

"Gawrsh, it seems like it's been forever since we last saw each other!" Goofy remarked.

"Yeah, it's good to see everyone again once in a while," Donald wheezed, strained from Yuffie's tight embrace.

The sound of chatters spread around the room, with everyone exchanging a few words of greeting. Merlin, carrying a tray of breakfast, stopped and stared at all the people that suddenly appeared in his living room. The conversations gradually quieted down as many heads turned in the direction of the old sorcerer.

"My, my, if I knew I was going to have so many guests, I would have whipped up some more breakfast—" Merlin exclaimed. Then he saw Cid. "Oh! Cid! Your computer has been untouched since you all left, so no need to worry!"

"Good to hear that, old man," Cid grunted happily.

Merlin would have preferred something besides "old man." He knew he was older, but he hated the fact that Cid always called him an old man. Nothing like a thunderbolt from his wand couldn't fix.

"Old, huh? Would you like to eat lightning instead of breakfast, Cid?" Merlin asked, chuckling.

"Oh, he's got you beat," Barret said, mocking Cid.

"Eh, well… dang," Cid grumbled.

Accepting the humorous mood, everyone in the living room began talking freely again. Yet, on the floor above, Sora and Kairi were still in the bedroom, ignoring the voices below them. There was something that was triggered between them that morning. Something neither of them had truly felt before. It may quite possibly be something that will affect them for the rest of their time together. A strange silence surrounded the two of them, yet it was a silence that neither of them wished to break.


	21. Second Reunion

**Chapter XXI:**

Sora and Kairi were motionless, sitting wordlessly by each other, staring blankly at each other. Even as the sounds of lively conversations below them reached their ears, the two friends never reacted. They both felt it. This feeling.

It was a feeling that Kairi had held onto for a long time. There was nothing new about it, as something clicked within her long ago. But at the moment, she barely noticed how close she was to Sora. All she felt was the solid beating of her heart. There was no need to even reach out; they were so close.

On the other hand, Sora was conflicted. He did not know how to respond in such a situation. He was not exactly the greatest speaker when it came to personal feelings. Logically speaking, Sora figured if he remained ambiguous, no harm would overcome his friendship with Kairi.

But by just looking at Kairi, her body so close to his own, Sora wanted to curse himself for his lack of answers. Perhaps he should strike up a conversation and see where it could lead.

"Kairi―"

"Sora―"

"Umm…"

"Hmm? Oh―"

"I, uh―"

"Er―it's okay, uh…"

"N-no, go ahead…"

"Well―"

_So much for progress,_ thought Sora.

_That went well,_ Kairi commented to herself. They both turned slightly pink and laughed. _At least we can laugh together, at each other, or at ourselves._

"Hey, um… maybe we should go downstairs? It seems like there are other people here…" Kairi suggested uncertainly.

"Yeah," that was all Sora could muster in his reply.

Eventually they will have to talk about their awkward moments. Sora knew that Kairi felt the same awkwardness at times. Kairi knew that Sora was not entirely clueless. It was inevitable. Both of them knew that they were in an uncomfortable stage. The only thing they did not know was how exactly they both feel about one another. Still without ideas, Sora and Kairi proceeded in leaving the room and making their way to where everyone else was.

_I wonder how he even thinks of me…_ Kairi wondered. _Maybe Sora has the right idea. I should just go with the flow._

_I hope I don't end up hurting her like this,_ Sora thought to himself. _I'm not even sure how she feels. But what if Riku's right?_

Heads turned as Sora and Kairi made their way into everyone's view. Tifa, Aerith, Yuffie, and Cid all sat on one couch, Vincent, Cloud, and Barret stood coolly nearby, and Mickey, Donald, Goofy, and Merlin were in the center of the room. Sora's issues temporarily faded away as feelings of bliss and surprise overwhelmed him.

"Y-you're all back?" he asked excitedly, charging into the room.

Yuffie leapt from the couch and hugged Sora in a friendly greeting. Cloud, Cid, Tifa, and Aerith strolled over to Sora and greeted him.

"Gosh, you're taller than ever," Yuffie commented. "Well, that's not really saying much. I'm just a bit short."

"Heh," Sora chuckled. "It's good to see you guys again. Yuffie, Cloud, Cid, Aerith, Tifa."

"Hey," Cloud said to Sora in his solemn voice. "How's it going with you?"

"I'm okay," Sora answered. "Same ol' fighting-the-Heartless business."

"I see," responded Cloud.

Sora nodded and peered past Cloud at two male characters that he did not recognize.

"Are those guys your friends?" Sora asked.

"Yup," Cid answered. "The really big guy with the mechanical right arm is Barret. The weird, creepy man in the red cape is Vincent."

Vincent scowled at Cid's description of him. Sure, he appeared like an undead, with his ashy eyes, his ghostly long black hair, his gold-plated clawed left arm, and his ragged, red cape. Aside from appearances, an eerie aura was emitted whenever Vincent spoke in his monotone voice. Also, it was a known fact that he was fond with sleeping in coffins. Nonetheless, this good-hearted man was one of the most philosophical and influential party members.

Sora walked up to Vincent and Barret and stuck out his hand. Barret took Sora's hand into his mechanical one and shook it in greeting. Vincent did the same with his gold, metallic left hand. Both men were at least a head or a head-and-a-half taller than Sora.

"Sora, huh?" Barret grunted. "I heard a lot about you on our trip here!"

"Oh, really?" Sora asked.

Instead of staying for a response, he turned around and ran over to Kairi, who was still standing timidly by the staircase. He grabbed her hand and led her into the room to meet everyone.

"Hey, everyone," Sora continued. "This is Kairi…"

For a moment, he paused there. It would have been perfectly fine, but Sora spoke as if he had something else to say. Even as his voice trailed off, all the other members in the room kept their eyes on him. Sora smiled awkwardly as he tried to think of a quick description for Kairi.

"…She's a dear friend of mine," he finished.

Yuffie instantaneously recognized Kairi as the young girl that Sora rescued and dropped off in the safety of Traverse Town over a year ago. Yuffie and Leon were there at the time and Kairi was temporarily placed under their care while Sora, Donald, and Goofy resumed their journey against the Heartless. She was certain that Kairi was this same girl.

"Kairi!" Yuffie exclaimed. "Do you remember me?"

"Yuffie, right? Of course, I remember you!" Kairi greeted, earnestly nodding her head. "You and Leon took care of me after Sora dropped me off in Traverse Town."

Sora knew Kairi remembered that time, but still, he was very impressed with Kairi's memory. Yuffie was equally astonished with Kairi's ability.

"You've definitely become one pretty girl," Yuffie said as she winked at Sora. Sora groaned silently and started observing his feet instead. Kairi giggled and blushed slightly.

Cid could have remembered seeing Kairi at least once before, but even if he did; he could not remember Kairi's appearance. Cloud and Tifa were acquainted with Sora for some time, but they had never heard of or met Kairi before. As a result, Cloud and Tifa came forward to Kairi and exchanged a few greetings.

"I only know everyone's names from the stories that Sora told me," Kairi said as she shook Cloud and Tifa's hands. "He told me you're all really strong warriors, too."

"Sora said that?" Tifa asked amusedly. "Well, did he tell you that he is probably just as strong or even stronger?"

"Nope," Kairi giggled. Sora was modest; he would never needlessly brag about any skills that he might have. Kairi knew that and thus she never asked.

When the greetings and jocular comments ceased, the darker, more serious matters arose. Everyone stepped back as Mickey came forth to initiate another meeting. If it had not been for Riku's disappearance, or the failure to liberate Destiny Islands, all would still be going according to plan. Unfortunately, time was not an expendable resource and the search for Riku as well as the liberation of Destiny Islands must be postponed until later on. When Mickey announced this, he only faced protests from Sora and Kairi.

"The islands are our homes and our friends are still stuck there!" Sora complained. "Not only that, we have family there, too!"

"How long do you want our friends to live in fear there?" Kairi added in disappointment. "They cannot wander away from their shelters. Eventually they'll all probably starve or go insane!"

"I have no other solution," Mickey answered sorrowfully. "Unless you wish to separate and one of you come with us while the other fights on Destiny Islands…"

Sora and Kairi did not answer.

_No way I'm leaving her,_ Sora thought.

_No way I'm leaving him,_ Kairi thought.

Mickey stayed silent for a brief moment and resumed the discussion.

"We have two methods. Each with equal difficulty as―"

"Your Majesty, you _have_ to let Sora and Kairi save their home world," Cid interrupted. "Just like we have to save ours."

"We know what it's like to lose our homes and our friends," Aerith added solemnly. "We already lost our world once and now it's on the verge of being destroyed the second time."

Mickey thought for a moment and sparked a new idea.

"I've got it," he said. "Come around, everyone!"

Everyone who was listening leaned closer to the center of the room to hear of the king's new ideas. Sora and Kairi listened especially closely.

"Okay," he started. "My first method as I was gonna say before was to go from world to world, one by one, like Sora, Donald, and Goofy did on their previous journeys. Each world that's under attack from the Heartless must be cleansed and then locked by the Keyblade.

"My idea now is for us to go in two different directions. Sora and Kairi will travel alone back to the islands. They will fight the Heartless there and seal the keyhole. As for the rest of you guys, I will travel with you and help lock your world with my Keyblade. From there, we will journey from world to world, sealin' the keyholes to every world open to Heartless attacks.

"It's gonna be tougher this way, though. We won't have all the Keyblades together, which is why Sora and Kairi gotta be especially careful on their own. I can only carry one myself. Everyone comin' with me, we have to rely on our strength in numbers to make up for the Keyblades."

"Sounds good," said Barret, as he grinded his knuckles. "When do we leave?"

"Now, Barret, like King Mickey said, the journey will be much harder than it sounds," Merlin joined in. "And we are not just dealing with the Heartless, but with the Nobodies, too. And this time, unlike Sora's previous adventure, the Heartless and Nobodies are on the same side."

"Merlin's right," Mickey continued. "Everyone _must_ be alert and ready at all times."

Suddenly, the meeting was interrupted. A crash sounded outside the house. Screams could be heard from the frightened townspeople. Mickey carefully inspected the sight from a nearby window.

"Including now."


	22. Battle For the Radiant Garden: Part I

**Chapter XXII:**

"What is it?" Sora asked.

"Nobodies!" Donald screeched.

Mickey pulled open the door and rushed outside for a better view. Undeniably, there were Nobodies floating around the streets of the first borough and Mickey knew for a fact that the entirety of the Radiant Garden was probably under attack. Sora and the rest of the group stepped out of the house shortly and stared at the scene.

Sora whipped out his Keyblade. Fighting all the Nobodies here would just be like fighting the Heartless invasion of the Radiant Garden on his last journey. Back then, Leon, Cloud, Yuffie, Tifa, and Aerith were all on the same side defending the world from destruction. In a way, Sora looked forward to fighting alongside everyone again.

Cloud stepped forward beside Sora, with his colossal Buster Sword in one hand, and his blue eyes appearing as if on fire.

"You ready, Sora?" he asked.

"Yeah," Sora responded enthusiastically. "Hey, how did Tifa find you after you all left?"

"Like she said," Cloud said. He briefly paused. "Light is easy to find."

"So how are you gonna use this new light of yours?"

"Who said anything about 'new?' I probably just never noticed it," Cloud answered with a small shrug.

Without another word, the mighty warrior leapt high into the air and landed many yards away into a cluster of Nobody Dusks. The power of the impact was tremendous, as waves of blue energy blasted into various directions, destroying the Nobodies with ease and efficiency.

Sora, done watching Cloud battle the first few Nobodies, charged ahead to join the battle.

"Sora, wait!"

Sora turned around to see Kairi running up to him, the Oathkeeper gripped tightly in her hand.

"I'm coming with you," she announced.

"Us, too!" Donald and Goofy called out as they sprinted up to Sora and Kairi, both with their weapons drawn.

Sora nodded. The four of them continued to charge forward, swinging their Keyblades, wands, and shields alike, obliterating every Nobody that stood near them.

Further back, Barret transformed his mechanical hand into a gatling gun and Vincent began loading Cerberus, his triple-barreled pistol. Tifa leapt onto the roofs of houses to get a better view of the situation. To her dismay, there were plenty of Nobodies scattered all over the first borough all the way into the central marketplace.

Yuffie leapt up and landed next to Tifa. The ninja girl held her oversized shuriken in one hand and a small, gleaming orb in her other hand. Tifa raised an eyebrow.

"Materia, Yuffie?"

"Um… hey, you never know when they'll come in handy!" Yuffie exclaimed as she installed the orb into her shuriken. Afterwards, she dove down into another squad of Nobodies, using her shuriken for both melee and ranged combat.

Bullets sounded behind Tifa's head, forcing her to cover her ears. She turned around to see an armored Nobody dissipating into the air. She could hear Barret cursing from below.

"Damn, girl! You gonna just sit there and force us to cover you or are you gonna help kick ass?" Barret bellowed.

Tifa smiled and joined Yuffie. On the opposite side, Cloud was having a fairly easy time cutting down Nobody forces. Sora, Kairi, Donald, and Goofy had their shares and were making progress. Tifa and Yuffie effortlessly beat down the Nobodies in their area. Barret and Vincent stayed near the rear and provided cover by aiming and shooting down whatever Nobody seemed to be getting too close to their friends. Likewise, Aerith used her knowledge of magic to aid her friends with supportive spells.

It seemed to be a controlled situation, as Mickey noted. He fought off a few Nobodies just the same, but his goal at the moment was to find out who summoned the Nobodies here in the Radiant Garden. Not known for any temperamental outbursts, Mickey tried his best in containing his seething anger. It had been many years before the Radiant Garden had a chance to return to its normal state. For many long years, the majestic world was Hollow Bastion, a crude, dark emulation of the once glorified domain. And now that the Radiant Garden was finally fully restored, outside menaces threaten to crush the vulnerable world once again. Mickey wanted nothing more at the moment than to stop the ones in charge of the assault.

Climbing onto a ridge by the bailey at the border of the first borough, Mickey found an astonishing number of incoming Heartless and Nobodies. With this terrifying army, Mickey was sure that Maleficent had to be somewhere nearby controlling the swarms. However, two hooded figures appeared before Mickey instead. Acting strictly by reflex, Mickey swung his Keyblade in a circular motion and nearby took the head off one of the hooded figures.

"Must you be so aggressive, your Majesty?" one said.

Mickey backtracked a few feet and glared tentatively at his opponents.

"Gyl―er, Xymgrel…"

Xymgrel and Sarlix pulled back their hoods and drew their weapons. Xymgrel had a rapier-like sword, serrated and appeared capable of cleaving through any material. Sarlix had a scepter, decorated with a glowing purple orb filled with dark magic. They both approached Mickey, who stood his ground.

"Sorry, king, but I need you to get out of our way," Sarlix murmured.

"We have a job to do," Xymgrel added.

"And what is this 'job' you're doing?" Mickey asked angrily. "Why are you even lettin' Maleficent control you? Don't you two realize? You still have your free wills…"

Sarlix pushed Mickey to the side with her glowing scepter. Xymgrel moved forward next to Sarlix and peered over his shoulder at the furious king. Neither of the two Nobodies responded.

"Sorry, King Mickey," Xymgrel mumbled.

The two Nobodies ascended the stairs leading to the first borough. Before doing so, they waved their hands in the air and dozens of Dusks descended around Mickey. Slashing his Keyblade around, Mickey proved the Dusks to be of little challenge. He checked back to the stairs, but with Sarlix and Xymgrel already out of sight. The enraged mouse king simply stared on.

_It will take a lot more than a few ordinary Nobodies to stop me._

* * *

Sora kicked away a Dusk that was clinging over Goofy's shoulders. He was beginning to feel exhaustion overtaking him. He saw Donald panting, his internal magic supply slowly depleting. Goofy was also panting with fatigue, though he continued to show signs of great stamina by forcefully tossing his heavy shield at his enemies. Kairi was standing, slightly slouched. Still, with each passing day, Sora grew more and more impressed with the girl's energy to fight.

Regrettably, by paying so much attention to his friends, Sora accidentally dropped his guard. In a split moment, a group of Assassin Nobodies tackled Sora from under the ground and knocked him into the brick wall of a house. Victimized by the ambush, Sora winced with pain as he staggered to get up from his crippled position. He was battered and bruised and his arm ached whenever he tightened his grip around his Keyblade.

Sora counted six Assassins and a small squad of Dusks heading his way. With a quick mutter, Sora used his remaining supply of internal magic to cast Cure on himself. Although his wounds quickly disappeared, he still felt the weight of exhaustion clawing at his mind and body. As quickly as he could, Sora charged at his opponents, jabbing his Keyblade into whatever he came up to first.

A few yards away from Sora, Kairi continued her fight alongside Donald and Goofy. The three of them were agonizingly tired, but they kept a constant, steady rhythm while combating the Nobodies. When Kairi saw Sora get brutally knocked into the wall, she sprinted over to his aid. Unfortunately, the path was not conveniently cleared for her. Dusks blocked her way, but other than that, shadows began emerging as Shadow and Neoshadow Heartless surfaced from beneath the town's concrete foundation.

"Kairi!" Sora roared as he witnessed his friend getting pinned to the ground by Nobodies and Heartless alike. Without hesitating, he abandoned the Assassin Nobodies he was chopping up and rushed to save Kairi.

His Keyblade glowed as the presence of Heartless neared. Almost instantly, the Shadows and Neoshadows redirected their attention to Sora and leapt off of Kairi, who was still being pinned to the ground by Dusks.

"Let… go of her!" Sora roared, ripping and lacerating every single Heartless that charged at him. Adrenaline surged within him as the only thought in his mind was not of exhaustion, but of Kairi.

Sora tackled the Nobodies to free Kairi. He continued to struggle with the Dusks until someone landed next to him. Sora peeked over and found himself staring at Cloud. The fierce fighter wound up the flat side of his blade and launched away the few Dusks that were left wrestling with Sora. Cloud helped Sora off the ground and beckoned him away.

"Go help your friend. I'll go help Donald and Goofy," said Cloud.

Not even thinking about arguing, Sora quickly thanked Cloud and ran over to Kairi, who was still lying on the ground.

"Kairi," Sora whispered. "Kairi, are you hurt?"

"Not really…" Kairi groaned quietly.

Sora scowled. He needed a specific answer.

"Let me see―"

He gently lifted Kairi off the ground and hurried into Merlin's house. He placed Kairi on the nearest couch and tried to inspect her.

"Sora," Kairi let out a weak giggle. "It's nothing really."

"Then why do you sound like you're in pain?" Sora snapped in dispute. Then he noticed Kairi's distraught look. "Sorry… please, just let me―"

Sora gently lifted up part of Kairi's tank top and found himself staring at a long red gash. It wasn't deep, but it looked painful. Sora sighed, relieved that it wasn't a life-threatening wound.

Kairi smirked at Sora's sudden calm expression.

"See? Told you it wasn't anything."

"It's still painful, isn't it?" Sora asked.

"Well…"

There was no need for an answer. Without another wasted moment, Sora got up from Kairi's side and ransacked the living room for potions.

Kairi knew what Sora was looking for.

"Sora, there's one right there, on the bookshelf," Kairi whimpered in pain. "Ow…"

Sora grabbed the potion bottle and sprayed some of its content on Kairi's wound. He closed the bottle and placed it on a desk near Kairi.

"Here. It'll heal soon… just wait for it. If you need any more, the potion's right there."

"Thanks…"

Sora summoned his Keyblade again and began stepping back out into the open.

"I'll be right back. Stay here, okay?" Sora said, almost begging.

"But I want to fight next to you," Kairi mumbled, gazing over her shoulder at her friend. "And hey, I'm actually doing pretty well for a first timer."

"Of course," said Sora. "You're a great fighter. But _please,_ just stay here until you're fully healed."

Zoning out all further protests by Kairi, Sora ran out to join his other friends in combat.

* * *

Mickey speedily ascended the stairs and first located Donald and Goofy, who were fighting alongside of Cloud. The three of them seemed to be holding up nicely. Mickey felt slightly more reassured, knowing that his comrades were still in control. However, he completely lost track of Xymgrel and Sarlix. Not allowing panic to take command of his actions, Mickey calmly ran through the borough, alerting Cloud, Donald, Goofy, Yuffie, and all the others that he passed by of the two Nobody commanders that were now on the loose amongst them.

On one corner of the first borough, Sarlix appeared through a dark portal. On another side of the borough, Xymgrel stepped out of his portal. Both Sarlix and Xymgrel were separated, but they decided to do so just so they could command their own respective squads of Nobodies and Heartless while exploring and searching for the warriors they were following from Midgar.

On Sarlix's side, to her misfortune, she ran into Sora, who appeared more furious than anyone she had ever seen before. Sora's teeth were clenched and his eyes depicted a deathly stare. His Keyblade was gripped so tightly that Sarlix could swear that she saw blood dripping from the hilt of the weapon. More so, however, was Sora's stare that rattled Sarlix. The Keyblade-wielder was mad. _Really_ mad.

"Sarlix…" Sora hissed, emphasizing each syllable. "You… are… finished…"

"Not today, Sora," Sarlix said. "I'm not here for you."

"I don't care!" Sora yelled. "You've been causing enough trouble for me as it is!"

"Well then…" Sarlix began. "What do you plan on doing now? Will you just come straight at me? Or will we have to play a game of patience?"

Sarlix closed her eyes and Sora began to feel his mind convulsing like it did on Destiny Islands.

_How can I fight something I cannot see, hear, or smell?_ the Keyblade master thought irritably. He collapsed onto his knees and grabbed his head in a futile attempt to ease the pain. Sarlix opened her eyes again and walked past the tormented Sora.

"Next time we meet, Sora, I'll give you another chance to swing that Keyblade of yours at me," Sarlix whispered in Sora's ear.

The only thing he could sense was the sound of Sarlix's footsteps fading away into the mixed clashes and explosions of swords, guns, and other indistinguishable noises in the background. The power of Sarlix's mind manipulation was so immense that Sora could not see or feel anything. He could only hear faint, obscure sounds. In time, after kneeling on the cold ground for who knows how long, Sora felt his control over his mind returning, as well as regaining his senses of sight and touch. Shaking his head to snap himself out of the aftermath of Sarlix's mind manipulation, Sora staggered upright and dashed forward as fast as he could in pursuit of Sarlix.

_Whatever is waiting for me, I will face it._


	23. The Search

**Chapter XXIII:**

Maleficent oversaw everything. She created mirror-like screens that projected views through the eyes of her minions. Four magical panels were created, each bound to the visions of Sarlix, Xymgrel, Syx, and Grymox. It seemed like her Nobody commanders were smarter than they seemed. Instead of picking fights with the warriors of Midgar, they instead lurked in the shadows and played the role of the hunter. The only scene Maleficent was interested in was the one of Sarlix. It displayed the trouncing of Sora's mind quite clearly. Even though Sora and Kairi were able to escape, Maleficent was not too concerned with the issue. She had faith that the Keyblade-wielders would not be able to defeat her two Nobody commanders and two Heartless commanders.

Through the Xymgrel's screen, Maleficent caught the sight of Mickey, who was charging towards the Nobody commander, trampling over both Nobodies and Heartless.

Mickey found Xymgrel, and his first plan was to simply stop the Nobody from accomplishing whatever he was assigned to do in the Radiant Garden. Mickey lunged at Xymgrel with his Keyblade fully extended, his eyes gleaming with determination. Both swordsmen clashed their weapons together. Xymgrel put on a mocking smile and Mickey continued to push forward. The deadlock seemed to be frozen in time as neither fighter made a move to advance or retreat. Around them, Nobodies and Heartless creatures patrolled and snuck around corners and bends.

Suddenly, Xymgrel felt two individuals land heavily behind him. In a second, he felt hard metal on both sides of his head. Barret and Vincent stood on both sides of Xymgrel, their weapons locked and loaded. Mickey smiled; the stalemate no longer existed. Xymgrel lowered his weapon and chuckled.

"So," he whispered. "Which one of you should I take first…"

"Who said you can talk?" Barret grumbled. He pushed his gun hand harder into Xymgrel's face.

Mickey called back his Keyblade.

"Xymgrel, please," the king persuaded. "It doesn't have to be this way. You can fight on our side. And join your other half and become complete."

Without responding, Xymgrel sank into the ground via a black portal. Barret and Vincent shot relentlessly at Xymgrel's fading figure, but accomplished nothing. Barret cursed and transformed his gun back into a mechanical hand.

"Who the hell is that guy?" Barret asked flatly.

"That was Xymgrel," Mickey answered. "He used to be called Gylmer, and that was when he was a good guy. Then this sorceress named Maleficent, who's the real reason why the Heartless and Nobodies returned, used her power and brought out the darkness that existed in Gylmer's heart. Now he's split into two dark beings. One is Xymgrel, the Nobody we just saw, and Grymox, a terrible Heartless beast."

"Brought out from the darkness of his heart, huh," Vincent remarked. "And what exactly did he mean when he said 'which one of you should I take first?'"

"Gee, I dunno," Mickey said, scratching his head. "Whatever he meant, you guys have to watch out. Xymgrel said he had a job to do."

"If that creep is here, then that must mean that girl Nobody must be here too," Barret declared.

"Yup, she is," Mickey said. "She's Sarlix. Silra was her original name. She used to be Gylmer's coworker—that is until Maleficent came and manipulated the darkness in their hearts."

Mickey turned away and was immediately on the move again. He already used enough time explaining the situation to Barret and Vincent.

"Warn the others of Xymgrel and Sarlix. Careful fellas, those two hold dark powers that should not be underestimated!" he added before disappearing into crowds of Nobodies and Heartless clusters.

* * *

Sora ran into Tifa and Aerith while he pursued Sarlix. Neither woman seem to be injured, but both of them appeared somewhat tired. Perhaps too exhausted to even feel his own fatigue, Sora pushed forward, knowing he found another reason to keep fighting.

_Not today, Sora. I'm not here for you,_ Sarlix said to him.

Although the numbers of Heartless and Nobodies were declining, Sora knew a greater danger now existed. Whatever or whoever Sarlix was trying to find, it would not bring fortune to him and the others. It was now the most crucial time to act.

"Sora, what is it?" Aerith asked.

Sora spun around to meet Tifa and Aerith.

"There's this Nobody leader, Sarlix, who's here right now. She's here for something… or someone, I don't know," Sora explained in a hurry. "We have to find her before she―"

"Before she…?" Tifa repeated in question.

"Argh!" Sora groaned.

Sarlix was clawing his mind again with the same magnitude as the last mind attack. Sora collapsed onto the ground and released an uncontrollable yell of anguish.

Tifa and Aerith were utterly stunned by the sudden terror that came before them. Sora suddenly appeared ragged and completely worn out, like his strength and vitality were suddenly ripped away from him. Aerith spastically tried casting Cure on Sora multiple times, but to no avail.

Sora was still conscious so he attempted to provide as much information to Tifa and Aerith as fast as possible.

"I don't think spells can work, Aerith. T-this isn't an injury. Sarlix, the one I was telling you about, ugh… she's the one that's doing this to me. She's the M-mind Keeper… with the p-power to manipulate the minds of her victims… argh," Sora choked out. "She's really dangerous… just g-gather everyone and warn them! I'll be okay after a bit… I've endured this… ugh, b-before."

Aerith nodded and cast her Planet Protector spell around Sora.

"Here, this should keep you safe from any attacks for a bit." She and Tifa then quickly, though a little hesitantly, ran off to find the others.

Sora kept one eye open, as he remained watchful of his surroundings. He had lost track of time ever since we was struck again by Sarlix's mental attack. Gradually, albeit at a dreadfully slow pace, the torment subsided and Sora once again struggled to get back on his feet and regain his balance. Weakened from the attack, Sora dragged himself in the direction of Merlin's house. He had to make sure Kairi was still safe…

* * *

Kairi observed her wound slowly heal. Eventually, nothing more remained but a thin line that resembled a faint scar. Kairi sat up from the couch and looked around the room.

_What do I do now?_

She had two choices. One would be to rush out of the house and continue to fight alongside everyone else. The other choice would be to follow Sora's orders and stay…

_But he _did_ say to stay until my wound healed. My wound _is_ healed isn't it?_

Yes, she was certain Sora told her to simply stay until she was fully recovered. But there was another condition to be met: Sora also said he would be right back. Kairi checked a nearby clock.

_7:42 P.M._

The last time she checked, it was about two hours ago. Now Kairi was becoming increasingly worried. Would she stay and risk the likelihood of Sora being in trouble? Or would she leave and risk missing Sora's return? It was a tough decision, but Kairi decided to go and find Sora herself. If Sora was safe and returned to the house…

_At least he would be safe,_ Kairi thought. Logic triumphed and Kairi hastily raced out the door and onto the silent streets.

It was aggravatingly silent. Kairi remained wary and paid close attention to any movements around her. She slowed her footsteps and inched along the walls. Seeing that there were neither Nobodies nor Heartless about, she sped up her pace and sought higher ground. Her only useful skills right now would be those of her senses.

Climbing over a stone wall, Kairi stood on a ledge and quickly scanned through the first borough. All she saw were a fewer number of Nobodies and Heartless scattered all over the district and the continuous battles. Analyzing the scenes more intently, Kairi found Cloud, Donald, and Goofy in one spot, still fighting, but with considerably less energy. A few buildings away, Kairi saw Barret and Vincent sprinting over to Yuffie and Cid. Barret and Vincent said something to Yuffie and Cid that triggered some sort of alert or shock. Whatever it was, the four of them continued on their path, slaying Heartless and Nobody forces along the way. Kairi then found Tifa and Aerith running towards everyone else. They seemed panicked, and the first party member they ran into was Mickey. The three of them then bumped into Cloud, Donald, and Goofy. Again they joined together. Kairi kept watching and found the group joining with Barret, Vincent, Yuffie, and Cid. Then she realized that Sora and she were the only ones missing from the party.

Kairi turned her attention away from the group and tried to search the borough again for Sora. The sun was quickly setting and the amount of available light was decreasing. Kairi had to examine the streets, corners, and alleys closer than she physically could until her eyes began to ache. There were no hints or signs of him. Resisting frustration and sheer anxiety, Kairi jumped off the ledge back onto the first borough streets. Slowly, the sunlight faded and Kairi found herself on the verge of tears as she began to wander aimlessly.

"I swear, why does he have to make me worry like this…?" Kairi grumbled quietly to herself.

Exhaling heavily, Kairi gathered up her strength and walked deeper into the dark alleys.

* * *

Out of feelings of urgency, Sora cleaved through the remaining numbers of Heartless and Nobodies that he ran into on the way back to Merlin's house. Only terror surged through him when he noticed that the front door was wide open. He was certain that he locked the door when he left the house.

_If it's open… _Sora thought. _Then that must mean someone must've unlocked it from the inside and―_

He sprinted into the house and checked around the living room.

"Kairi," Sora yelled out loud. He waited for the response and yelled her name again. Again no response came to him. "Man, why did you have to leave?"

Immediately, Sora bolted out the front door and into the dark streets. The sun had set and the moon was rising into the sky. He admired Kairi's bravery in charging alone onto the streets. He was not even certain if Kairi's wounds were healed or not. Sora knew Kairi was never a girl who easily took and followed the orders of other people, let alone his. Recovered or not, Sora knew he had to find Kairi as soon as possible. If he can meet up with Mickey, Donald, Goofy, and the others, it would be in his favor. Sora did not care; he would be satisfied as long as he could find Kairi.

Periodically, a few Shadow Heartless would rise onto the surface to attack Sora. To the Keyblade master, the Shadows were nothing more than common pests. With one, clean horizontal slash, Sora could take out as many as a dozen Shadows. The routine was performed several times as Sora dashed through the borough in search of Kairi.

_Where are they all coming from?_ Sora thought in question, as the Heartless number seemed infinite. His stamina was wearing out. The only things he could rely on at this point were adrenaline and willpower.

Suddenly, Sora heard a high-pitched scream sounding directly ahead of him. Distressed, Sora ignored the Shadows that continued to pile around him and leapt onto the closest building in front of him. And there he saw her.

Kairi seemed to be surrounded by a cluster of peculiarly looking Heartless and a squad of Berserker Nobodies. Sora had never seen those Heartless before, but he knew the giant Berserker Nobodies were a force to be reckoned with. Standing near the Heartless and Nobody group was an inscrutable figure in a black cloak. Sora had a good idea who it was, or who it may be. He jumped off the building and dove towards the Heartless swarm.

Kairi let out a yelp as Sora suddenly landed next to her, but her fright instantly transformed into joy and relief. She hugged Sora purely out of being released from her binding anxiety. Sora slashed at the mysterious Heartless creatures and pointed his Keyblade at the cloaked figure. He charged a bolt of flame and cast his Fire spell at the figure, forcing the hood to fly back to reveal Xymgrel.

"You!" gasped Sora.

"I think this is the first time I've met the famous Keyblade-wielder," Xymgrel wondered as he landed in front of Sora after dodging the Fire spell. "Honestly, I don't see why everyone makes such a fuss over a key-shaped sword."

"I think you know why the Keyblade is such a big deal. Or has Maleficent told you nothing yet?" Sora muttered. He hated these Nobodies that resembled the members of Organization XIII.

"Maleficent… do you even think I'm working for her? I probably hate her just as much as you do. This is all her fault anyway."

Maleficent heard every word. Her magic screen focused on Xymgrel glowed red and shattered. Her hold on the Nobody was weakening as Xymgrel's already unclear loyalty continued to slip away. Maleficent scowled irritably and vanished in an explosion of green flame.


	24. Another Round

**Chapter XXIV:**

"Huh?" Sora asked.

Xymgrel leaned on the hilt of his sword and sighed. He appeared equally exhausted as Sora and Kairi. He cleared his throat and scratched his head nonchalantly.

"What did you mean by that…?" Sora asked again. No matter what the situation was, Sora did not trust Xymgrel at all.

Xymgrel picked up his sword again and rubbed the blade with his index finger.

"I meant what I said. I hate Maleficent. Look what she did to me. I'm pretty sure I led a decent life that I never would have given up on. Well, that's what I think I remember," said the Nobody commander. "Then all of a sudden she comes around with her dark magic, pulling the darkness out of the depths of my heart. Did you think I _wanted_ to be this way? Sure, I became stronger and I acquired new powers, but I don't care about that…"

Pausing for a moment, Xymgrel paced around aimlessly and recalled all the Heartless and Nobodies around him so that only he, Sora, and Kairi were standing in the alleyway. Sora and Kairi were still suspicious of Xymgrel's intent, and in addition, they were somewhat confused.

"Listen," the Nobody commander resumed. "I've been trying to find these… 'reports' of some sort that Maleficent stole from the museum I used to work in. I've seen her reading them, so I know. And I know they hold information about the Heartless and the Nobodies, which can prove to be quite useful in the hands of different people. At the same time I've been trying to fuse with my Heartless half so I can become complete again. Trust me, I really don't want to fight. I certainly _can_. But I don't want to. It's not in me."

Sora gave a thought to Xymgrel's words, though he was still awfully skeptical. Kairi was equally vigilant and continued to clench her Keyblade firmly.

"Whose side are you on…?" Sora asked apprehensively. Honesty, he had no idea anymore.

A short silence followed before Xymgrel answered.

"No one's."

"What about Sarlix?" Sora thought out loud.

"All I want now is knowledge of my being," Xymgrel said with a shrug. "That is all."

He faded into the darkness before Sora and Kairi could assemble any further thoughts or comments. The two friends glanced at each other in search for answers.

"Well," Sora started. "I dunno where this is going."

"Where what's going?" Kairi asked.

"This whole situation. The two Nobodies that look like as if they came from the organization, Maleficent's Heartless army, everything."

"I think we're winning though," Kairi remarked.

"You think so?" Sora asked. "I think so, too."

"So if we just keep up whatever we're doing right now, we should be able to get back home soon."

"Yeah―"

A burst of flame materialized in front of Sora and Kairi, catching the two Keyblade-wielders by surprise. Both of them were blown back by the force and landed next to each other against a cement wall. Soon, Maleficent's form began to appear through the green flames and Sora felt his anger return. He stood up and pulled Kairi up with him, the two of them staring directly into Maleficent's wicked eyes.

Without muttering a word, Maleficent threw her arms up in the air and encased the alleyway in a shroud of shadows. Sora and Kairi stood their ground as they awaited whatever Maleficent was channeling with her spells. Soon, yellow eyes started gleaming in the dark shroud until the alleyway became an eerie yellow. As soon as a new mass of Heartless began to emerge, Sora and Kairi started to step back away from Maleficent's hellish aura that summoned the incoming nightmare. More and more Shadows, Neoshadows, Soldiers, Armored Knights, and many other land and aerial varieties of Heartless poured out from the darkness. Sora and Kairi were now faced with more enemies than they could possibly have a chance of handling. Turning to flee, the two friends could hear Maleficent's cackling laughter.

"Run, you fools! I have yet to deal with all of you! Run while you can!" Maleficent howled.

And they had no choice _but_ to run. Fleeing with all their might, Sora and Kairi shook off Maleficent's pursuing Heartless and safely escaped the dark alleyways.

"Sora, I saw everyone else before coming here," Kairi said, while running alongside Sora.

"Really? That's good. We need to find them―" Sora paused. "Say, Kairi, what were you doing out there anyway?"

"Duh, I was looking for you!" Kairi responded, rolling her eyes. "My wound's all healed too, so I figured it'll be better to go look for you instead of sleeping on a couch while everyone else could be in danger."

Sora smiled amusedly at how Kairi said everything in one breath. It was like she already had those words planned, knowing that Sora was going to ask her why she chose to face danger on her own.

It was well into the night and the streets were dark. Not a single streetlamp was lit. The only source of light that was available for any traveler was merely the faint lunar rays. Still, the moon itself was not bright enough to illuminate the entire town. Sora and Kairi struggled to find their way around the borough. Some time passed before either of them spoke again.

"Sora, I'm getting a little worried. It's really dark. How are we gonna find everyone?" Kairi asked.

Sora gave the question a thought. Sure it was dark, but Sora wasn't letting that bother him.

"Don't let the lack of light bother you, Kairi. If we have to, we'll find everyone by looking for the light in their hearts. That always works for me."

"Looking for the light in their hearts?" Kairi repeated curiously. "How do you suppose to do that?"

"I dunno," Sora proclaimed humorously. "It just works. It always worked for me. I mean, that's how I found you before."

"You mean, like before? I thought you found me because I screamed," Kairi giggled.

"Well, er―that definitely helped me find you," Sora stuttered while scratching his head. "But I meant like… always. Every time I wanted to find you, I looked for the light in your heart."

"Do you think I have a ton of light in my heart?" Kairi asked innocently.

"Of course, that's what makes it easy to find you!"

"Yeah right!" Kairi laughed. "I remember it took you _forever_ to find me the first time, on your first journey."

"Actually, I already found you," Sora effortlessly countered to Kairi's bemusement. "Your heart was in mine, remember? So I kinda already found you, I just didn't know it."

Sora winked to show that they both know he was right and Kairi blushed.

_Yeah, he's right,_ Kairi noted to herself. Luckily for her, Sora couldn't possibly notice the redness in her cheeks in the dim light.

* * *

All of them: Mickey, Donald, Goofy, Yuffie, Cloud, Tifa, Aerith, Cid, Barret, and Vincent all stood on the ledge linking the first borough with the bailey with their weapons drawn. Each warned the other of the impending threats, of the two Nobody commanders that have landed in the Radiant Garden. The only group members that could identify Sarlix and Xymgrel were Mickey, Cid, and Barret. The others have never seen the Nobody commanders before. Donald and Goofy, however, could only recognize the black, mysterious cloaks donned by the Sarlix and Xymgrel, the same outfits the deceased members of Organization XIII wore.

The giant party still waited for two more people before they can take action in cleansing the Radiant Garden. Sora and Kairi's whereabouts were still unknown, and with the Heartless and Nobodies still lurking in the shadows of the town, the group became more and more concerned.

Mickey, Donald, and Goofy stood under the arch that loomed over the stairway between the first borough and the bailey. Donald had his wand extended towards the night sky, the tip of the wand glowing with a bright light. Occasionally, some Heartless and Nobody warriors traced the light to the party, but were easily slaughtered. Surrounding the perimeter that the party camped in were Cloud, Barret, and Vincent. Cloud had his sword ready in his hands while Barret and Vincent both had their guns locked and loaded.

Yuffie kept a sharp lookout, as she stood on the tip of a pole that reached high into the sky. She sought movement—any movement—that resembled the footsteps of humans. Her headband flapped loosely in the air as the gusts of wind increased in strength.

"Yuffie, any luck?" Tifa yelled from below.

Yuffie shook her head as she continued to study the streets.

_Where could they be?_

Before she knew it, after what seemed like long, dreary hours of staring and watching the gloomy streets, Yuffie noticed two humanoid figures walking astray. They were definitely Sora and Kairi. Yuffie leapt off her lookout point and aimed to land by the two friends. On the other side, Tifa and Aerith were calling out in question, but Yuffie ignored the voices and strove to catch up with Sora and Kairi before she could lose sight of both of them.

Sora and Kairi both whipped out their Keyblades in defense when they heard Yuffie's landing behind them, thinking it was perhaps a Heartless or a Nobody. Relieved when they found themselves looking at Yuffie's happy-go-lucky face, they called back their weapons.

"Now what's the point of being a ninja when you can't even sneak up behind two kids?" Yuffie groaned. Then she laughed, more at herself than at what she said.

"Phew…" Sora sighed. "You did give us a surprise though!"

"Yup, that's what ninjas do," Yuffie affirmed. "Catch people with the element of surprise. Like I, the―"

"―Great Ninja Yuffie. I know, Yuffie," Sora cut in, chuckling to himself.

"You took my line, Sora…"

Kairi stifled a laugh at Yuffie's flabbergasted expression that seemed more exaggerated from sarcasm. Sora smirked proudly.

"Anyway, where are the others?" Sora asked.

Yuffie pointed to the ledge that was high above them.

"We should hurry then. How long have you guys been waiting?" Kairi asked.

"We lost track of time," Yuffie admitted.

"We definitely should hurry. I think a big battle's gonna start soon," Sora mumbled, recalling the sight of the massive Heartless army summoned by Maleficent.

"A 'big battle?' Umm…" Yuffie wondered. "How big?"

"Bigger than the one we fought earlier today and the one we fought here on my last journey."

Yuffie pondered a moment and then yanked out her oversized shuriken, twirling it between her fingers with proficiency.

"Alright, then let's get ready for some fun!" She cheered as darted ahead of Sora and Kairi to get a running start back to the rest of the group.

"_Fun?_" Kairi asked Sora.

The Keyblade master shrugged.

"That's Yuffie."

* * *

"Yuffie!"

Barret and Vincent had their weapons aimed at Yuffie for a brief moment before realizing that it was her and not some wandering Heartless.

"Geez, don't scare us like that. We coulda shot at ya!" Barret grumbled.

"Well, it's a good thing that you thought before you acted this time!" Yuffie countered.

Vincent closed his eyes and shook his head.

"Did you find them, Yuffie?" he inquired.

Yuffie nodded enthusiastically.

"And they said that there's gonna be a huge battle coming up soon. We should prepare ourselves right away."

"How do you suppose we do that? We've got nothin' with us here," Barret mentioned.

Out of nowhere, Yuffie tossed out a few spherical objects that were met with Barret's blank stares. Even Vincent was somewhat surprised at the sight. The orbs glowed with a peculiar radiance, and emitted an aura of vitalizing energy.

"Er… does Cloud know you have these?" Vincent asked amusedly.

"Seriously, girl. Does Cloud know you took his materia?" Barret repeated.

"Shh," Yuffie whispered, putting her index finger to her lips. "He'll appreciate the fact that I snuck some out anyway. We'll probably need it."

"Materia, how long has it been since I last seen or… touched these," Vincent wondered.

"Who knows," Barret responded. "I haven't touched these in a long while either―"

"Barret! Vincent!" a voice called out from behind them.

"Oy, look, it's the Keyblade kids," Barret chuckled.

"We have to hurry," Sora said, ignoring Barret's comment. "We saw them coming, they're heading this way―what… w-what are those?"

Sora was gazing at the little piles of materia that Yuffie scattered across the floor. Sora picked one up to examine it more closely.

"Careful with those. Each materia provides a different power when equipped," Vincent said.

"Materia?" Sora asked.

"Right. These little balls are made from spiritual energy from our world. Like Vincent said, each of these materia provide different powers for whoever uses them," Yuffie explained. "Let's clean this up."

Sora, Kairi, Yuffie, Barret, and Vincent each grabbed a few materia orbs and headed up the stairs. However, they met Cloud on the way, who was patrolling the perimeter for the last hour. He seemed to be in a hurry, as he was not walking, but slightly jogging. He stopped, though, when he bumped into Sora.

"Cloud!"

"Sora. We need everyone up immediately. There's a giant army approaching―"

Cloud paused and looked at the spheres cradled in everyone's arms.

"Hmm," he continued. "The materia I gathered?"

He asked Sora to toss him one of the materia.

"Seems like _someone_ was flipping through my things…" Cloud casually commented, looking directly at Yuffie.

"Cloud, don't you think it'll be a good idea to use these against the Heartless and Nobodies?" Yuffie suggested.

Cloud sighed and did not respond. He simply turned towards the stairs and made his way up to the ledge where everyone else was waiting. Barret, Vincent, and Yuffie followed, subsequently by Sora and Kairi. Mickey, Donald, and Goofy were at the end of the staircase, with Donald's wand still discharging flashes of light. Sora and Kairi stopped to give the three Disney Castle denizens a greeting.

"Did Cloud tell you guys about the army approaching?" Sora asked Mickey.

"Yup, he did. And we better get ready and stand together. That way, we can surely take 'em all," Mickey declared.

"They're here!" a voice called out.


	25. Battle For the Radiant Garden: Part II

**Chapter XXV:**

At the ratio of about a thousand to one, the group did not like their odds. For over a mile they could see the vast sea of Heartless. There were probably more Heartless here than Sora had faced in all his journeys combined. Deeply troubled, Sora had to figure out what to do as soon as possible.

"King Mickey, I really want to find out why there are so many Heartless now," said Sora apprehensively. "Didn't we accomplish _anything_ on our past journeys?"

"Remember, Sora, the Heartless are first born from the darkness of people's hearts. Then these Heartless hunt and steal more hearts from others. It's the way the Heartless multiply their numbers. When left unchecked, well…" Mickey gestured to the enormous Heartless army before them. "This is what happens."

"How will we ever get rid of them all?" Sora asked.

"The balance between light and darkness are unequal right now. When light and darkness are balanced, there will be fewer Heartless―"

"Your Majesty, but, but… that doesn't answer my question. I asked how are we ever going to get rid of the Heartless for good?" Sora retorted in frustration. "Sorry…"

"It's okay, Sora. You can be angry. I don't have a solution for you right now, but I know there is one. We'll find it and hopefully stop the Heartless forever."

Reluctantly, Sora had to back away from the subject. There was no solution, which means he will have to keep on fighting. He, Kairi, Riku, and the king all had to. They were the wielders of the Keyblades, the warriors representing the light.

"Tell him about the guy we bumped into. And about Maleficent," Kairi whispered to Sora.

"Oh," Sora wanted to smack himself for forgetting. "King Mickey…"

"Sora?" Mickey responded, his Keyblade summoned for action.

"Before Yuffie found us, we bumped into um… I forgot his name. This Nobody guy working with Sarlix and Maleficent."

"Xymgrel?" Mickey suggested.

"Yeah! Him. I don't think he and Sarlix are on Maleficent's side anymore," Sora reported. "Because of that, Maleficent is here now with that Heartless army."

Mickey frowned and turned to look at the approaching army.

"Maleficent's here? Drat, then this battle will be harder if _she's_ around to command the army," Mickey noted, more to himself. But he spun around again to face Sora and Kairi. "For Xymgrel and Sarlix, Sora, don't trust anythin' they say until we have definite proof!"

Donald, Goofy, Cloud, Aerith, Tifa, Yuffie, Cid, Barret, and Vincent all gathered around Sora, Kairi, and Mickey. It was twelve against maybe twelve thousand or more. Plans? They had none. No one was expecting a giant Heartless army to pop out randomly in the Radiant Garden. Sora, Kairi, and Mickey all had their Keyblades in their hands. Donald had his wand and Goofy had his shield. Cloud had his Buster Sword, Tifa had her specialized combat gloves, Yuffie had her oversized shuriken, Cid had his spear-like lance, Barret had his mechanical gun-arm, Vincent had his Cerberus, and Aerith had her natural magic to rely on. If the group had a plan, then they would have already executed their offense. But without a plan, confidence was lacking and catastrophe seemed imminent.

Without warning, a few Armored Knights, Neoshadows, and other types of Heartless scaled the walls and snuck onto the ledge where the group was waiting. The onslaught had begun. At high ground, the party had a slight advantage over the Heartless, but it was only one out of many they would need if they wished for victory.

The Heartless army traveled from the direction of the old restoration site of the Hollow Bastion Restoration Committee. This peculiar observation intrigued Sora. Didn't the army Kairi and he saw come from within the first borough? Feeling a sense of dread, Sora sought out Mickey, who was blocking off a few Shadows.

"Your Majesty, I don't think this is the army Kairi and I saw," Sora muttered apprehensively.

"…What?" Mickey asked, alarmed and confused.

All of a sudden, a battalion of varied Heartless arrived on the staircase between the bailey and the first borough, where the party was camping on. Slowly, the moderately sized army approached the ledge towards the group. Even though this newly arrived Heartless army was smaller than the one that approached from below the ledge, it still outnumbered the party about a hundred to one. With a new front opened, the party had to split their attention and focus in two different directions. That is, until a third factor joined to draw more attention.

Maleficent emerged out of a green explosive conflagration that seemed to have been generated more out of fury than out of ambitions of conquest. She appeared to be looking for something… or someone. Sora advanced towards her with his Keyblade in front of him in defense. Maleficent sneered and pointed her staff at Sora.

"Where is he? I saw you talk to him before!" Maleficent screeched.

"What are you talking about?" Sora countered.

"Xymgrel," the sorceress hissed. "He's hiding from me. He and that pitiful Sarlix. They're both pathetic. You've ran into both of them, _where are they?_"

"Why should he tell you?!" Kairi yelled, stepping forward next to Sora.

Maleficent squinted at Kairi in contempt. Her staff was still pointed at Sora. It seemed time passed more slowly around them as the Heartless and the rest of the party were locked in combat. Maleficent waved her staff in the air to conjure the all-seeing mirrors, though it resulted in nothing but green and purple smog.

"Those wretched fools think they can outsmart me…" Maleficent muttered angrily to herself.

"So they _did_ betray you, huh, Maleficent?" Sora scoffed. "So much for your control over the Nobodies. Seems like they're a bit smarter than the Heartless?"

"Dear boy," Maleficent cackled feverishly. "In this game, quantity outplays quality."

She pointed at the Heartless ocean that spanned across the bailey. Sora could see the glimmering of the myriad eerie yellow eyes that glared back at him. In the meantime, Maleficent pointed her staff back towards his face.

"I do not need the Nobodies. They are nothing but tools for me in directing the powers of darkness," said Maleficent.

Sora's eyes widened as Maleficent prepared to fire a beam of dark energy at him. However, the sorceress unexpectedly switched her target from Sora's face to the wall behind Sora and Kairi. Maleficent fired, and the shot blasted a hole through the wall and drove a figure out of it. The surprises never ceased to end as Sora and Kairi witnessed Sarlix emerge out of the darkness.

Waving, the Maleficent's ex-Nobody commander summoned a squad of Dusks and Assassins around her. Sarlix smirked in satisfaction towards herself and in mockery towards Maleficent.

"Nothing but tools, eh?" Sarlix chuckled. "Then what a valuable tool you're giving up, Maleficent!"

"Fool. I created you and you defy me?" Maleficent snarled. "What is your purpose now then? Your Heartless half is under _my _control. You shall never be complete as you will exist from this point on as nothing more than a Nobody."

"By the way," a gruff voice sounded behind Maleficent, startling the sorceress. "In my opinion, I think quality outplays quantity."

Xymgrel rose from a dark puddle behind Maleficent and called forth a group of Berserker Nobodies. Before they could grab Maleficent, the sorceress teleported into the air over the ledge. Here, time really seemed to stop as Mickey, Donald, Goofy, and the others all glanced upwards at the floating Maleficent.

"It's Maleficent!" Goofy shouted out.

Total chaos ensued as Sarlix and Xymgrel began calling forth Nobody forces through portals of their own. Changing their targets, the Heartless abandoned Sora and the others and jumped off the ledge onto the bailey to combat the growing number of Nobodies. Sora grunted in puzzlement and annoyance as he ran over to Sarlix and Xymgrel. Kairi followed closely behind.

"Why are you doing this?" Sora questioned. "Are you helping us or not?"

Sarlix and Xymgrel took a quick look at each other before answering. In an instant, Xymgrel pulled out his rapier and pinned Sora to the wall with the flatter side of the blade. Still, the pressure caused Sora to gag. Kairi swung the Oathkeeper at Xymgrel's head in defense, but the speedy Nobody grabbed her with his free hand and yanked Kairi into the air by her wrists.

"Listen, kid," Sarlix muttered to Sora, ignoring Kairi. She held out a black, leather case. "Inside are these report papers by some guy named Ansem. Heard of him?"

_Here we go again,_ Sora thought to himself, trying to resist the pressure exerted onto him by Xymgrel.

"Yeah. As a matter of fact, I have heard of him," Sora grumbled. "And how did you get your hands on those reports anyway?"

Sarlix ignored the Keyblade master's question and just chuckled as she crushed an incoming Heartless with a ball of energy shot from her scepter. She turned her attention back to Sora.

"What was that again?" she asked.

"Can you let me go so I can breathe?" Sora pleaded as calmly as possible.

Xymgrel released Sora and Kairi and Sarlix tossed the leather box at Sora.

"These reports by Ansem. They tell a lot about you and of your previous trips across the worlds," Sarlix accounted. "Have you read them?"

Sora flipped through the familiar papers that he had gathered over time during his past journeys. Of course, Kairi had no idea what Ansem's Reports were all about. Kairi did nothing more than look apathetically at the papers.

"Yeah. These reports were lost and I collected them together over time…" Sora began. "Still, how did you get a hold of them?"

"Maleficent had them," Xymgrel explained. "Your king over there placed the reports in the Temple Key Museum. That's when Maleficent stole them and turned me into… this."

"Look, boy. We just want to find out some more info about Organization XIII, the Nobodies, the Heartless, and the Keyblade. Everything is pretty much just confusin' bogus to us," Sarlix interrupted.

"Maleficent will become a greater enemy than she has in the past if she read all of Ansem's Reports," Sora noted. "I bet that's why she stole the reports in the first place. To learn more about the Heartless and the Nobodies."

"Indeed," Xymgrel agreed. "In the meantime, Sarlix and I will be conducting research of our own. Do _not_ get in our way."

"Heh, seriously, you two better not. Neither should your friends. As for now, we'll take care of Maleficent and her weakling Heartless," Sarlix added. "So get your friends out of here."

"What? And abandon the Radiant Garden?" Sora exclaimed.

"You can't possibly think it'll be that easy to get rid of us," Kairi muttered.

"Suit yourself," Sarlix said, shrugging. She and Xymgrel turned away and leapt off the ledge to join the havoc being wreaked by their Nobodies and Maleficent's Heartless, leaving Sora and Kairi pondering and recollecting the words that were just exchanged.

The other party members eliminated the remaining Heartless and Nobodies that fought on the ledge. Mickey leaned by the railing blocking the sides of the ledge and observed the ruthless combat between the Heartless and the Nobodies.

"Has circumstances really turned in our favor?" Vincent asked quietly. "Have the Heartless and Nobodies really unallied with each other?"

Mickey sighed, succumbing to relief that the Heartless and Nobody numbers were dwindling before him, but at the same time feeling a wave of nervousness for whatever awaited on the journey ahead of them all.

"I really hope so, Vincent," the king sighed again.


	26. Simple Answers

**Chapter XXVI:**

As the last few remaining Heartless and Nobodies vanished, the temporarily defeated Maleficent faded back into the darkness and the Nobody commanders departed through their portals. Once again, the streets of the Radiant Garden were silent, completely soundless through daybreak. A great portion of the town, especially the first borough, the bailey, and even parts of the marketplace and the old restoration site, were ruined, charred by fire-based spells, or completely razed by the ceaseless combat. Over a year of repairing and restoration had gone to waste.

Yuffie, Cid, and Aerith were among the committee that stayed behind in the old Hollow Bastion. Their efforts revitalized the glorious Radiant Garden and led the town to its expanding and bustling civilization. Now the three looked down from the Shera at the crippled town. The Radiant Garden was not their home world, but it was still like a home to Yuffie, Cid, and Aerith. When their world was taken apart by the Heartless the first time, this was where they ran off to.

The dismal sight worried Tifa about their actual home world. She was concerned about the condition of Midgar, her home, her bar, and the two children, Marlene and Denzel, entrusted in her care. Cid was still cursing the Heartless while he furiously gripped the airship's steering wheel.

"Damn them! Our hard work for nothin'. Comin' around and bashin' the place up and then leave like it was nothin'. Screw it, I'm done," he spat and took a shot of liquor.

"We can always come back and fix the place up again," Aerith suggested. "And you shouldn't be piloting while you're drunk…"

"I'll drink when I want since it's my ship!" Cid roared. "And what about the Radiant Garden? Fix it and have it trashed again? Count me out of it."

Aerith sighed. She, the others, and Mickey, Donald, and Goofy were on board the Shera and the Celsius while Sora and Kairi have departed on the Highwind. The Shera and the Celsius had their coordinates set for landing in Midgar while the Highwind was set for Destiny Islands. Both sides would, only for the time being, leave the Radiant Garden in its current situation, as they agreed to make their return at the end of their journey. All but Cid, who was too disconcerted to agree to anything.

"Cheer up, Cid. We still have our world to save," said Yuffie.

Cid did not respond. He took another shot of hard liquor and continued to steer the ship with surprising dexterity.

"I hope my little girl's safe," Barret mumbled randomly.

"She should be. I told her and Denzel to stay in their rooms and not step out into the streets," Tifa responded.

"Yeah, that's good," Barret sighed. "But if anythin's gone wrong there, I swear I'm gonna hang some serious Heartless pelts on my wall."

The journey would be a long one, as the Shera and the Celsius encountered many Heartless crafts on the way to Midgar. The Celsius was preoccupied with its own combat. And with only limited weapon systems installed on the Shera, Cid had to rely more on speed and maneuverability to ensure the group a safe trip.

* * *

Kairi was having trouble keeping track of everything that was happening around her. It was just too much for her to comprehend at times. Since she lacked a great amount of knowledge regarding Sora and Riku's past journeys, Kairi occasionally grew more and more perplexed with each passing event. Sora had a better understanding of the recent situations, though it was still very complicated even for him.

The circumstances were adding stress to the two friends. And what made matters even more taxing for both of them was the fact that it was just the two of them traveling now. There was no one else around them for hundreds, thousands, millions of miles. Even when they do arrive back on Destiny Islands, it would still just be the two of them surrounded by water and sand. Alone…

The thought sent a shiver from the base of Sora's neck to the lower part of his back. He dreaded the potential awkward silence that could rear up at any inopportune moment. It happened before and could definitely happen again. The conditions around them were unfit to initiate conversation and any other ideas seemed all too fabricated or unexciting. What was it that they used to talk about when they were living the carefree life on the islands? Sora recalled mostly routine matters when he, Kairi, and Riku did nothing more than simply splash around in the cool ocean water, toss sand at each other or into each other's hair, and participate in other simple activities like climbing trees and setting up races.

Sora opened his mouth to say something, but thought otherwise and abruptly shut his mouth again. Kairi noticed Sora's looks of doubt and decided to do something to relax him. By moving up next to him, Kairi put Sora on the defensive. For no apparent reason, Sora chuckled feebly and stared forward into the void.

"What were you going to say, Sora?" Kairi asked.

"Uh," Sora mumbled. "Uh, nothing, really."

"What's nothing?" Kairi asked again.

Kairi tried her best to ease the mood of the Gummi ship cabin, but Sora was oblivious to Kairi's attempts. It was just as hard for her to say anything and just as hard for her to remember what Sora and she talked about whenever they were alone in the Secret Place together. They talked, but what did they talk about? Back when they were little, when Kairi first moved to the islands, all Sora wondered about was what Kairi's life in another world was like.

Then Kairi remembered they hardly talked about anything interesting back then. In fact, their conversations were predominantly made up of absolute nonsense. To this recollection, Kairi laughed quietly to herself, though the laugh could not escape Sora's attention.

"Hmm? What's so funny, Kairi?" Sora speculated.

"Oh, just thinking about what we used to talk about at home." Kairi answered.

"Like what?"

"Like…" Kairi thought a bit, raising her head towards the ceiling and tapping her chin with her finger. "Like what's for dinner, why we can't grow taller than the trees, why the seawater is blue, why Wakka is obsessed with his ball, where does the sun go when the moon comes up―"

Kairi paused for a moment and giggled at Sora's gaping mouth. Evidently he was surprised at Kairi's superb memory.

"Stuff like that. See how silly we were?" Kairi joked. "I mean, 'why is the seawater blue?' Really, haven't we learned anything in school?"

"Wow, Kairi. I can barely remember any of that," Sora admitted. "Maybe it's because I haven't been home for so long. And why is the water blue?"

"The daytime sky, Sora," Kairi giggled again. "Reflection?"

_Oh,_ Sora thought. "So… if a place has a pink sky, the water would be pink?"

"It's a little more complicated than that!" Kairi laughed. "There's chemistry and stuff involved. It depends on the world, I guess."

"Yeah, but Kairi," Sora argued. "There _are_ other worlds. What if a world has some weird pink sky?"

And Kairi was defeated. She stuck out her tongue at Sora's bombardment of hypothetical and questionable scenarios and gave up. Even if it was for five minutes, that short conversational burst undeniably alleviated the tongue-tied mood. Trying her luck, Kairi decided to get some more words out of Sora. Whether or not it was talking for just five minutes, Kairi refused to retreat back into the silent phase.

"So, Sora―what _do_ you remember?" she inquired.

Playing along, Sora gave that question another thought. Honestly, he could not remember too much. All the quiet, calm moments were with Kairi while all the rough, primal moments were with Riku. Sora decided to wing it.

"I remember… I dunno, having a good time."

"A 'good time?' Aw, c'mon, Sora. That's so vague!" Kairi exclaimed.

"A good time's a good time!" Sora said while laughing.

"What do you mean, 'a good time?' A good time where and how? When? With who? Why?"

Sora was distracted by Kairi's barrage of questions and lost control of the Highwind. Spinning out of control in the empty space, the Gummi ship crashed onto a large meteor-like object and remained there. Inside the ship, Sora and Kairi were tossed like ragged dolls onto the floor of the cabin. They briefly rested next to each other, motionless, knowing well they were not leaving anytime soon.

After a few moments, groaning from dizziness and the sudden shock, Sora stood up and checked the Gummi ship's control system. It was not damaged. Sighing in relief, Sora sat down on the floor next to Kairi, who was still lying on her back.

"So," Kairi began, staring straight at him. "How's everything looking for us?"

"Ship's fine," Sora answered.

"Well…?"

"Well, what?"

"You haven't answered my question, Sora!"

"Oh."

"Well?"

"Huh? Oh, you _want_ me to answer your question?"

"Sora!"

"Okay, okay!" Sora sputtered as Kairi began slapping his arm. "Um…"

Sora held Kairi's hand in one of his, which surprised the girl. He actually did not know what he was trying to say. Or going to, for that matter. Kairi did not know why she was so interested in Sora's potentially nonexistent answer. Curiosity in the one boy she was interested in her whole life? Quite possibly, and Kairi knew that. Sora played around with Kairi's hand for a moment, and receiving no resistance in return, Sora took Kairi's other hand into his.

"Can I say…" Sora started, with a tone of uncertainty and experimentation in his voice. "You know… the good times… I guess a lot of them were… with you?"

Kairi blushed fervently and tried to hide by turning around to face the wall, but could not since her hands were held by Sora. Sora's face was slightly flushed, but not with the same intensity as Kairi's.

"What makes you think that, er… or say that?" Kairi whispered softly after giving up in trying to hide her face.

"I dunno. I have a feeling," Sora said plain and simply. "It just is."

"I guess some things are that simple," Kairi said quietly.

Sora looked at her in wonder, trying his best in figuring out what Kairi could have meant.


	27. Kairi's Magic Lesson

**Chapter XXVII:**

The Highwind smoothly took off again after getting jammed on a meteor in the void. After their little conversations, Sora and Kairi dove into their own worlds and reminisced about their words and their meanings. Fortunately, they were both smiling.

However, setting their destination for Destiny Islands was not a pleasant thought, especially knowing that their homes were in ruins and their family and friends were in constant danger.

_Paradise lost, _Sora thought grimly. He even regretted not saying hello to his mother before. Not seeing his family for perhaps nearly two years was a horrible feeling. Shifting gears, Sora absently landed the Highwind on a random shore on the islands.

As for Kairi, her time away from her father was not all too bad of a situation. Since her father was of authority on the islands, Kairi did not spend much time with him to begin with. Instead, she sought the feeling of family with the friends she had around her, especially Selphie, who, over time, became like a sister to her. All of a sudden, Kairi began to feel a surge of adrenaline erupt inside of her.

"Kairi?" Sora asked, as he saw Kairi storm out of the Highwind onto the beach. Kairi had the Oathkeeper in her hand while she scoured the landscape.

"Um, hey, Kairi…" Sora started again.

"Shh," Kairi whispered. She looked around the shores again and sighed before turning back to face Sora. "I want to go back to Selphie, Tidus, and the other villagers."

"To check if they're safe?" Sora asked.

"Right."

Sora jumped out of the Highwind and looked around the beach just like Kairi did. He scratched his head and let out an inaudible groan. Where were they? Sora wanted to hit himself for not paying attention to the coordinates while landing. Most likely they were on the western shores since neither of them had any connections in that region of the islands, thus never had the need to travel there. Sora thought about climbing back into the Highwind and reset the landing coordinates, but their mission at the moment was to seal the islands' keyhole. It was a search, so Sora decided to start their search from the western banks.

"What's wrong, Sora?" Kairi asked.

Sora summoned the Oblivion and pointed the blade forward into the coconut forest ahead of them.

"Let's go, Kairi," he announced. "That-a-way!"

"Do you know where 'that-a-way' is?" Kairi joked.

"Not really," Sora chuckled, but then changed his tone back to sincerity. "If we can, we'll cut through the center of the islands and visit Selphie and the others… and my mom, maybe."

"Good idea. Let's go then."

In all seriousness, Sora had no idea where he was taking Kairi and him. He had a hunch that he was heading to the heart of the islands and he also had a hunch that the keyhole was probably there, too. They were mere educated guesses, and Sora prayed that his train of thought would eventually prove to be fruitful.

Just like the two left the islands before, the sky was still an eerie dark purple with blotches of black and green scattered across, blocking out the clouds, the moon or sun, and all signs of light. But through the coconut forest, the tall trees naturally blocked out the light. It was dark, and Sora constantly tripped over shrubbery and roots alike. Kairi, for some reason, had an easier time finding her way through the vegetation than Sora did. Quite possibly because the more Sora tripped, the more cautious she became.

Then Sora suddenly fell over a huge tree root and fell head first into a large bush. He was stuck.

"Are you okay, Sora?" Kairi yelled into the darkness. "Where are you?"

"I'm right here," Sora mumbled, trying to shake himself out of the oversized plant. "A little help, maybe?"

Kairi sought out Sora when she reached into the bush in front of her. It was frustrating work as the bristles of the branches and leaves scuffed her bare arms. She managed to touch the tips of what might have been Sora's fingers, but the prickliness was too irritating. She scowled, retreating back for a moment.

"Don't you have like… magic that could light up the area or something? Any magic that will help?" Kairi suggested.

Sora thought about his magic arsenal.

"Nope," he muttered in defeat, more to himself than to Kairi.

"Nothing?" Kairi repeated, almost in an exasperated voice.

"Nope," Sora answered again. He tried to move his Keyblade around, to slice through the thicket, but he could not move his arm more than perhaps ten degrees.

"Here," Kairi offered. "Let me try."

She hacked at the bush with the Oathkeeper, sending waves of panic through Sora.

_What if she can't see me clearly and chops me into a million pieces?!_

Kairi continued hacking until Sora felt his sword-arm free up. Before Kairi could send another devastating blow onto the bush, Sora raised the Oblivion and blocked Kairi's vertical cut.

"Oops," Kairi giggled.

Sora groaned. He could have been mauled right there! In that instant he could have sustained more injuries than he ever had in all his journeys combined, not to mention that it was from one of his closest friends! He was sweating, either from fear or from hysterical laughter.

"Kairi!" he yelled, laughing at the same time. "Man, next time―uh, wow, I _really_ hope there is no next time."

"Sorry, Sora," Kairi giggled again in a singsong voice.

Finally crawling out of his green prison, Sora found himself again toppling over more roots and shrubbery. Instead of continuing, he sat down on the damp ground to think of some other alternative—_any_ alternative—that could pardon him from hours of bruises and humiliation.

"Ugh, I'm stupid," Sora muttered suddenly.

He ripped off a dry branch from a nearby tree and lit the tip with a weak Fire spell, forming a simple torch. Immediately, a good radius around Kairi and him was finally visible. Not surprised, Sora found himself facing a long path of winding, uplifted roots, vines, and other natural obstacles.

Kairi patted Sora's shoulder as in a "good job" gesture.

"When do you plan on teaching me some magic?" Kairi asked, remembering Merlin's task for Sora.

_Oh yeah,_ Sora thought. He completely forgot about the job Merlin bid him to do during his journey.

Truth be told, Sora had no idea where to start. He had no prior knowledge in teaching, nor had he any idea how he learned magic in the first place. It was just more natural for him for some reason. Still, he felt as though he ought to spend some more one-on-one time with Kairi. Sora felt that these magic lessons should do the job.

"Right now," he said abruptly.

"_Now?_" Kairi asked. She wondered why to herself. "Shouldn't we be on our way first?"

"Yeah, of course," Sora responded. "We'll do this at the same time."

_Where to start, man, oh, man,_ Sora grimaced. _Fire first? How about Cure? That'll be helpful. Maybe something interesting like Water, I need more practice with that, too… _

Kairi nodded and strolled alongside Sora. From her point of view, Kairi felt that if she acquired some magic skills, she could easily be more of a help to Sora than a hindrance that always needed saving.

_Let's see, Sora saved me—counting the times on his previous adventures—hm, I would say… maybe at least four, five times? And I saved him, umm… ooh, once. One time, _Kairi thought.

Sora continued to ponder on how he should get started on the lessons. In the meantime, Kairi and he continued to walk through the forest, with Sora's torch lighting the way. The forest was not too dense and soon the two friends found themselves nearing a clearing. They rejoiced; finally they were out of the gloomy, damp coconut jungle. Was this the same clearing they set camp in before? Sora did not recognize the region and neither did Kairi. However, an open area like this clearing seemed like an adequate setting to practice magic. There were even scattered coconuts around the edges of the region, making the area even more suitable for magic training.

However, the package did not come without a price. There were rogue Heartless Shadows roaming the terrain in every direction. Again, Sora thought the Heartless could also be incorporated into magic practice. He snickered as turned to Kairi.

"So, Kairi, what should we do first?"

"I dunno. I figured you might have some sort of plan…" Kairi answered coolly.

Sora was at a loss. The entire area was set up, but he had absolutely no idea how to even begin teaching Kairi the arts of magic. Were there any prerequisites? Was there anything that Kairi should know and have before using magic? These questions wandered around in the corners of Sora's mind.

"Umm," Sora attempted to say. "Okay."

"Hmm?"

"Take a deep breath…"

Kairi sucked in a big gulp of air.

"Uh, with your nose, actually."

Kairi inhaled a long breath instead.

"Okay, um… now gently, and _slowly,_ breathe it out."

Kairi did as she was told.

"Now what?" she asked.

"Feeling calm and relaxed?"

"I've been calm…"

"Oh."

"Sora?"

"Yeah?"

"Do you know what you're doing?"

No, he did not. Sora sighed and thought for a moment. He knew how to use magic―and he knew fairly well―but it was basically nothing but a skill to him, a tool he knew how to manipulate. It was like Kairi making thalassa shell necklaces. Kairi had that skill and Sora did not. Kairi had the ability to master that art, and Sora had no clue how to even get started. Now Sora had the magic skills, and he was certain Kairi had no prior knowledge of magic and the elements.

"Kairi, do you have _any_ idea how to use magic? _Anything_ about magic?" Sora asked.

"I'm sorry. I've got nothing," Kairi said, frowning.

"Kairi, take out your Keyblade." Sora had an idea. All he had to do is hope that it will work. Kairi summoned the Oathkeeper and awaited Sora's commands. "Umm… what element do you want to learn first? Anything. Fire, ice―"

"Fire sounds good."

"Okay. Close your eyes and imagine fire," Sora ordered. He used the same method Merlin used on him before. "Feel the fire, Kairi. Imagine that it surrounds you and you can control it. Give it time. Focus and picture it."

After a long period of silence, Kairi was in a trance. Sora was glad that at least Kairi had a great deal of attentiveness and diligence and was fully concentrating. He waited a few minutes for any progress from Kairi.

"When you feel it," Sora added quietly. "Try to direct that energy through the Keyblade."

Kairi nodded, but her eyes were still tightly shut. Her mouth twitched as she mumbled the word "fire" over and over. The normally white blade of the Oathkeeper slowly began to transform with a crimson glow. Sora watched with widened eyes. Progress! Kairi continued to focus on the element of fire within her, feeling the flames, the inferno, and the uncontrollable conflagrations exploding around her. Candlelight fires, tiny embers in a fireplace, a city building enveloped with flames, a wildfire in a forest, eruptions from a volcano… She could feel it. She felt as if she was a priestess that chanted the burning language. Fire was her power. All of fire was one within her, the heat surging and suddenly unbearable for her when she shouted "fire." The Oathkeeper's blade erupted into a band of flames, tossing untamed, dancing volleys of fireballs in different directions. Kairi was sweating profusely while the flames on the Keyblade gradually died out. She sat down, panting, tossing the Oathkeeper to one side. She was _exhausted_.

As for Sora, he could not be more surprised and proud at the same time. Was this seriously his childhood friend? Was this really the Kairi he knew, the girl he knew for so long?

_She is, and she came a long way, _Sora noted.

He walked over to Kairi, who was still sitting lopsidedly with her head tilted on an angle and her legs sprawled on the ground. Sora gave her a congratulatory, one-armed hug, and that was all it took to revive a smiling Kairi.


	28. Dreams of Assumptions

**Chapter XXVIII:**

Day or night, it didn't matter. Sora insisted that Kairi took a break from the walking. The redhead was stubborn enough to resist for the first few minutes, but fatigue eventually took its toll and forced her to sit down. One successful fire spell sapped Kairi of all her vigor, reducing her to a state of weariness. Sora, in a way, felt guilty in initiating the magic lessons with Kairi, seeing that his friend seemed to be unsuitable for the workings of magic. But it was progress nonetheless, as Kairi did manage to use the fire spell.

What a performance that was. It was a sort of confirmation, as Sora had noticed recent changes in Kairi. The girl had gradually become more and more intent on honing her skills in this battle between light and darkness.

Since Sora decided to stop and allow Kairi to regain her strength for the rest of the day, he also decided to take the time to review his current situation, battle-wise. To start off, Kairi and he were separated from Riku, whose whereabouts are unknown. Their enemies were the nefarious Maleficent along with her Heartless commanders Syx and Grymox. Her ex-Nobody commanders, Sarlix and Xymgrel, proved to be disloyal to her and went their own way. Still, Sora believed that the two Nobodies remained a threat to him and his friends. At the moment, his and Kairi's tasks are to find the keyhole on Destiny Islands, lock it, and literally save their world. As for King Mickey, Donald, Goofy, and the others, they were bound for other worlds, also to lock keyholes.

Focusing on his current duty, Sora had to guess where the keyhole could be. The dangers before the two Keyblade-wielders seemed to be minimal, with only a few rogue Heartless Shadows wandering around. The majority of the Shadows did not even seem to notice the young warriors. Kairi slept and Sora kept watch. If he had to guess where the keyhole was, he would guess it to be at the center of the islands, the heart, where Kairi wanted to go in the first place, where most of their friends and families were hiding in refuge.

_Keyblades. Keyholes. Hearts…_

Long journeys passed and he still did not fully understand the story behind Kingdom Hearts. After Riku and he escaped the cataclysm within Kingdom Hearts upon defeating Xemnas, Sora did not know what became of the mysterious realm. Since Maleficent still wished to take control of it, Sora had the impression that Kingdom Hearts was still in existence. Darkness and light within the realm was the same, at equilibrium, canceling out to nothingness. The Nobodies dwelled in the nothingness, not the Heartless. With a sigh of relief, Sora felt that Maleficent's undertaking to seize Kingdom Hearts would not be so easy now that the Nobodies have turned against her.

Sora checked up on Kairi again, who remained asleep. An aura of serenity blanketed her pure, though exhausted, face. Once in a while, she would smile, dreaming.

_[They gracefully held each other's hands as they casually strode along the edge of the soft, sandy beach. Every few seconds, their bare feet were tickled by the cold seawater that stretched and gently splashed onto the shore. It was low tide at an auburn sunset, the perfect time for them to just relax, to simply walk, and to fully enjoy the surrounding views. With each passing, undisturbed moment, they briefly gazed into each other's eyes, then to resume on their stroll. Still, she couldn't hold back any longer and leaned in…]_

And Kairi woke up and sat up abruptly. She gazed around absentmindedly, not realizing she startled poor Sora, who was having a good time examining her face. Kairi shook her head. It was the same dream and it always ended the same way: her jolting awake at the last moment.

"Ugh… not again―" she mumbled. "Oh, hey, Sora!"

Sora was sprawled over on the ground with his head raised to face Kairi.

"Hey. Dreaming?" he mumbled back.

_You can't even imagine,_ Kairi wanted to say. "Mhm."

"Wanna tell me about it?" Sora asked. "There's not much to do right now. Unless you prefer to keep walking."

"Let's walk. I'll tell you about it at the same time," Kairi said, smiling.

Sora helped Kairi off the ground and they walked along the edge of the clearing, where there were no Shadows lurking. It was silent, and the feel was definitely night-like. Unidentifiable creatures could be heard hooting in the distance and insects could be heard chirping or squeaking the in the backgrounds.

"So, was it a good or bad dream?" Sora inquired.

"Oh, it was a pretty good one," Kairi started. "It's more like a story. See, it's about this guy and this girl. They were, y'know, long time friends and they always liked each other, but neither of them wanted to admit it. So instead, they pretended they got on each other's nerves all the time, just for fun. But deep inside, they both hated that.

"One day, they bumped into each other after school at a food stand by the beach. Well, the guy was like, 'Hey, what's up,' and all that and the girl was like, 'Oh, hi, nothing much here, how's everything with you?' Well, then from there they sat down at a vacant table and they had like sandwiches and drinks and they talked.

"But something happened there. When they weren't talking and were eating, they would look at each other when the other wasn't noticing. You know, sneaking glances at each other. It was cute. Then after a few snuck glances, both of them caught one another staring. It was awkward, and the girl was blushing like crazy. She started mumbling something like, 'Sorry, I shouldn't have been staring,' and stuff, but the guy was nice and said, 'Why? I don't mind. And plus, _I'm_ not sorry, I like looking at you.' And there it was! The guy reached for the girl's hands and magic happened right there.

"Oh, I know it sounds corny. And they both walked down to the beach and took a stroll on the shoreline. They were quiet and did nothing more than listen to the waves and look at the sunset. Once every few minutes they would look into each other's eyes and just fall in love over and over."

Kairi sighed and hugged herself.

"It's _so_ corny," she squealed. "But it's my own made-up romance story."

As Kairi finished, the two of them were nearing their destination. Sora knew he was not exactly the brightest kid nor was he the one who with the most common sense, but once Kairi said "this guy and this girl," "long time friends," and "beach," he knew what the story was probably about.

He heard her. But much like how he usually acted, Sora decided to let everything move along on its own. He had no intention to force anything to happen.

"Wow, Kairi. I never knew you were such a romantic," Sora chuckled. He tried to keep the overall mood light and simple, plus to exaggerate his naivety.

"Well, we missed out a year with each other, so you don't know what I think now," Kairi said, winking.

True to her thoughts from before, Kairi went with the flow. She had her desires, but they were not hindering enough to force her to do anything out of her character. Showing a friendly smile, she walked along noiselessly at Sora's side.

"So is that how your dream ended? Just the two of them strolling on the beach, looking at each other and stuff?" Sora added after a brief silence. He gasped sarcastically. "There wasn't any mushy stuff, was there?"

Kairi laughed. Honestly, she did not know.

"Well, I think the girl was gonna kiss the guy… but I woke up at that moment."

"Oh," Sora said. And that was all he could say.


	29. Love and Respect

**Chapter XXIX:**

"Sora, Kairi!"

Sora and Kairi turned to see Selphie, Tidus, and Wakka charging towards them. They appeared rattled and dismayed. That could not be good news. Sora saw a wave of worry wash over Kairi's face. As for himself, Sora did his best in keeping a calm face.

"What's happening?" Sora asked Selphie.

"He… he…!" Selphie stuttered. She was suffering from anxiety. Panicking and hyperventilating, she was utterly incomprehensible.

"Tidus?" Sora asked the young boy.

"Riku's dad…" Tidus murmured.

"What?!"

"What about him, Tidus…?" Kairi asked cautiously.

Sora and Kairi wanted to stuff their ears with any possible insulated material. The next couple of words seemed to leave Tidus' mouth one by one, each taking an eternity for both of them to comprehend:

"He's gone."

"What do you mean _gone?_" Sora asked in repetition, shaking his head in denial.

"Gone," Tidus repeated. He pointed to a brittle looking hut that was on the farthest side of the village. Sora and Kairi walked past Selphie, Tidus, and Wakka and decided to investigate this cruel situation for themselves. Each step they took brought them one step closer to grief and pain.

Sora opened the door to the battered hut and approached a bed with a darkened figure lying on top of it. Kairi followed closely behind and peered around Sora. She covered her eyes and screamed in disbelief.

The man they both knew as Riku's father was no longer taking in the precious breaths of life. His neck was darkened and shriveled, evidence of a brutal strangling. Sora was about to vomit before he turned his eyes away from the corpse. He shut his eyes as tightly as he could and let out a grief-stricken moan. Kairi sobbed wildly beside him, her knees buckling before she sank onto the ground.

For a moment, Sora thought about the time in his childhood when he, Riku, and Riku's father would, for the first time, spar. Sora was about four years old that time, and Riku five. He saw the older boy and his father poking around with sticks, which seemed like a great deal of fun to him. Sora asked if he could join, and he was warmly welcomed. Other than that, every once in a while, Riku's father would buy Riku and him ice cream and other treats. When Kairi arrived on the island, Riku's father welcomed her just as he did when Riku first met Sora. Sora, staring at his best friend's beloved and now motionless father, yelled in agony and stabbed the wooden floor with his Keyblade.

"I know who could have done this… I know who's responsible," Sora grumbled through his clenched teeth. "I'll get them for this. I swear I will."

"Don't, _please,_ Sora," Kairi sobbed bitterly from the ground. "_Please_ stay here right now…"

"And _what_, Kairi? Stay and do nothing? I bet a dozen other folks around the islands are being trampled by the Heartless right now. Riku's dad was one of the lost ones," Sora snapped. "What good is this Keyblade if I can't use it to save people?!"

He slammed the Keyblade on the ground, which slid and fiercely struck the bedside. Kairi averted her eyes and let loose a few more gasps of breath before turning her back to Sora. She faced the corner of the hut, agonized and heartbroken, silenced and defeated.

Sora panted with fury. Looking away from the lifeless body, he recalled the Oblivion back to his hand and stormed out of the hut.

_I must find that cursed keyhole…_ Sora told himself.

On the way out, he met the eyes of Selphie, Tidus, and Wakka. Without saying a word, he walked past them. In a second, he felt something grab his arm.

"Why did you yell at her?" Selphie griped. "You didn't have to do that…"

Sora looked towards the dry soil on the ground, mute.

"Ya. We heard you. That was rough, man," said Wakka.

"Did she really deserve that, Sora? Hmm?" Selphie added. "She's just as devastated as you are―"

"Heck, she was probably gonna cry herself insane," Tidus mumbled. "Ah… sorry, man. But it's not just you or her…"

Sora still remained mute. But this time, he yanked his arm away from Selphie's hold and walked past them again, in the opposite direction from before. When Sora was out of earshot, Tidus chuckled.

"He's a nice guy, though, isn't he?"

"Yeah, no wonder Kairi couldn't stop thinking about him when he and Riku were away from home," Selphie said.

"And Riku's still not here," Wakka noted. "What do you think'll happen when he finds out about his fatha?"

None of them could guess what could happen. But they listened closely to the voices in the hut. The crying stopped, which should be a good thing.

Inside the hut, Sora stood behind Kairi, who was still sitting sideways on the floor, facing the corner. It was as if she was in kindergarten, being punished by the teacher for talking too much. Sora bent down and sat behind her, his back leaning slightly on hers. Kairi was surprised for a brief moment, but she barely physically reacted. She sniffled every few seconds, but she said nothing otherwise. Sora chose not to say anything either, but he did rock back and forth, gently pushing Kairi around to signify his presence.

Kairi tried her best to ignore her friend, though it was seriously difficult. Before long, she in turn began to rock back and forth along with Sora, both of them in a slow, sitting dance. Kairi shut her puffy, tear-drenched eyes and relaxed herself. Sora stopped rocking eventually and turned around to face the back of Kairi's head. The girl's lustrous, auburn hair hung loosely over her bare shoulders.

"Kairi?" he called quietly.

No response.

"I'm sorry for yelling at―"

"I know you are…" Kairi said, placing her index finger on Sora's lips without once facing him.

But then she suddenly spun around and drove herself into Sora, planting her face roughly into his chest and locking her arms around his neck. The motion caught Sora off guard and knocked him onto the floor. Kairi moved her head higher to the arch between Sora's neck and chin and rested herself there. The two of them remained that way for a few minutes; but to both of them, the rough embrace seemed to last quite longer. For the first couple of minutes, Sora was still in shock. Yet, he wrapped one arm around Kairi's waist and placed one hand on her upper back. The bare skin there felt soft and silky, sensitive to his succinct touch. Sora could smell the faded scent of herbal aromas in Kairi's hair. He did not recall ever being so physically close to her at any point in his life.

Sora sat up after Kairi released her hold around him, though she was still quite planted on him. Regardless, Sora slowly stood up, then only to realize their height difference. Kairi was at least five inches shorter than he was. With one surprise after another, Sora was once more stunned when Kairi reached upward and gently pecked his cheek with her lips. A peck is a peck, but Sora felt his mind blank out for a second. He placed two fingers on his cheek and stood bemused. Kairi smiled coyly and ambled out of the hut.

Sora stood dumbfounded by the open doorway and gently rubbed his cheek over and over. It was like a thousand-volt shock stunning every muscle in his body for a brief moment and at the same time a pulsating a warm, soft feeling across his face. And it was just a peck. He slowly pivoted and walked out the door, following Kairi. Looking back, he heaved a sigh. Trying hard not to allow anger to overtake him again, Sora shut his eyes and departed from the small hut of tragedy.

_Maybe the darkness has gotten to me._

Outside, he found Kairi standing around with Selphie, Tidus, and Wakka. He waved with a smile stretched across his face, although inside he felt rotten and distraught. His best friend's father was gone. Sora never remembered feeling so miserable before. Forcing himself to stick with the present, not with what had already passed, Sora left the scene. He had two things left to do: find his mother to ascertain her safety and find the islands' keyhole.

"Sora?" Kairi called before Sora had gone too far.

"Yeah," Sora answered without turning back.

"Will you be okay?"

"Will you?" Sora asked.

"Yeah," Kairi responded quietly, but Sora heard her.

"Then I will be, too," he said and continued on his way.

Again waiting until Sora was out of earshot, Tidus spoke up.

"Nice guy indeed, huh?"

"He _did_ make it up to you right?" Selphie asked Kairi.

"H-huh?" Kairi mumbled confusedly, waking up out of a trance.

"Don't think we didn't hear him yelling his head off, Kairi!" Selphie said in a high-pitched voice.

"Oh. Y-yeah, yeah, he did…" Kairi said slowly, trailing off.

Selphie looked at Tidus, who looked towards Wakka, who merely shrugged. Kairi seemed to be oblivious to everything that was happening around her at the moment. That was evident to Selphie, Tidus, and Wakka.

"You know… I think I'm just gonna follow Sora," Kairi continued. "Just to m-make sure he's really okay."

Kairi rushed forward a few steps and halted for an instant. She peered over her shoulder.

"Don't worry, we're not going anywhere," Selphie said. "We'll be here if you need anything."

Kairi nodded and sped up to a jog. More than ever, she felt a need to be with Sora. Whatever the reason was, it soon became a feeling she could not extinguish.

_Maybe he went to look for his mom,_ Kairi thought. It was the only logical thing for Sora to do after what Kairi and he saw.

Her mind was clouded. In a span of minutes, so much had happened around her. She saw the corpse of someone she knew, she truly witnessed Sora's anger for the first time, and then she kissed him, ever so briefly. The latter action was one that she had no regrets for, though. Periodically, she thought about Sora's mother again.

_I__ do hope she's okay. I don't know what will happen to Sora if she's―_ Kairi shook her head violently. _No, I can't think of things like that._

She was on a wooden ramp and she looked down to the second level of the village to see a figure with… brown, spiky hair suddenly rushing into a small hut. Kairi quickly followed.

Sora just pushed open the small hut's door. Inside were three women, two that he could not recognize and one that he could only _barely_ recognize. But that one woman surely recognized Sora. She slowly stood up from a crusty, wooden chair and a look of absolute awe spread across her face. Sora witnessed the glistening in the woman's eyes as tears soon began to slowly trickle down the sides of her face.

"Mom…?" Sora whispered.

The woman did not speak. She only feebly extended her arms and beckoned Sora to come to her. Sora did and found himself in the woman's embrace.

"Sora… you're alive," his mother whimpered. "First a year went by and I had no idea where you were. Still you came back and I had a reason to love life once more. And then, after a few days, you disappeared again. You, Riku, and Kairi all disappeared. I―we, everyone, thought you were all victims of these creature attacks…"

It seems like he could not keep his secret any longer. But how should he explain everything?

"Mom," Sora started. "I think now's a good time to tell you everything."

"Please do, Sora," his mother urged. "Please do."

The door was open and Kairi entered unhurriedly. Sora was telling the entire story to his mother; beginning to end, from the start of his adventures up to the present moment. When Sora turned and noticed Kairi behind him, he smiled and told her to sit down next to him.

"See, mom? Kairi's safe," Sora said, with a tone of reassurance.

"Kairi…"

Kairi could barely recognize Sora's mother. She was supposed to be in her late thirties, but the conditions currently plaguing Destiny Islands made her appear haggard, adding the looks of an additional twenty years to her face. Kairi felt herself wanting to cry again. Both Sora's mother and Riku's father took part in taking care of her in some way or another during her childhood. It was one of the reasons why she felt so accepted on the islands when she first moved there.

And so Kairi let the tears flow unrestrained. Sora was not surprised, but his mother was certainly startled. She approached Kairi and placed a hand on the girl's shoulder. Sora's mother waited a minute until she knew she had Kairi's attention.

"Kairi, you're like a daughter to me. Please, dry your tears," the older woman said. "There. Oh, and by the way, Kairi, I think it will be a good idea if you visit your father. He must be worried sick."

"Not to be disrespectful or anything," Kairi said, shaking her head. "But… I seriously doubt my dad would let me continue this journey with Sora, let alone even _believing_ the stories."

"What makes you think I'll be allowing Sora to continue on this journey―"

"Mom…!" Sora protested immediately.

"I'm sorry, Sora, but this is far too dangerous a task for you and Kairi. For goodness sake, you're both still _kids_…" his mother reasoned. "Please, Sora, don't be so reckless… And you too, Kairi, these adventures are not suitable for a beautiful, young woman like you. Live a normal life. Seriously, both of you―"

"A 'normal life,' mom?" Sora cut in. He called out his Keyblade and displayed the weapon to his mother. "The stories I've told you are all true. I _need_ to do this, for the sake of everyone. Kairi―"

Sora glanced at Kairi. He paused for a moment, choosing his words carefully before resuming.

"It is also Kairi's choice whether she really wishes to stay with me," he concluded. "And I'll respect her choice."

The older woman said nothing. She was devastated, but she smiled a faint smile.

"You're growing up so quickly, Sora. Both in body and mind," she whispered.

A peaceful silence followed before Sora and Kairi both simultaneously rose and exited the hut. The islands used to bustle with noise, either from children playing in the sand or of natural sounds, like birdcalls and the flow of gentle sea breezes. Except now there was nothing but dark rumbling skies and twisted, ghostly drones from the surroundings. Sora and Kairi stood outside the hut, quiet and motionless. But it was not long until Sora felt a soft hand lightly grip his forearm for support.


	30. Passion

**Chapter XXX:**

Before departing to search for the islands' keyhole, Sora and Kairi took the rest of the night to sleep. They found an empty hut, small, but untainted unlike some others. Kairi, especially, felt slightly embarrassed for waking up half the village when Sora and she showed up.

_Actually, it was Selphie's fault for screaming…_ she pointed out to herself._ Oh, well._

Sora leaned against the wall; his eyes closed and in a deep sleep. He had not truly slept comfortably for the past few days. In all situations, he was either plagued by the constant need to stay vigilant in case there was any attack against him and his friends or he simply had too much on his mind.

Kairi on the other hand, usually slept more soundly. Being that she already rested before arriving at the village, she stayed awake somewhat longer than Sora did. She began to hum and murmur melodiously again.

_[I need more affection than you know]_

Kairi moved closer to Sora until both their shoulders touched.

_[In you and I,  
There's a new land,  
Angels in flight]_

Steady breaths streamed in and out of Sora's mouth as the Keyblade-wielder remained deep in his well-needed sleep.

_[I need more affection than you know.  
My sanctuary,  
My sanctuary, yeah  
Where fears and lies melt away…]_

Kairi hummed in a softer tone as she maintained with observing the sleeping Sora. She leaned her head on his shoulder.

_[Music inside,  
I need more affection than you know.  
What's left of me,  
What's left of me now…]_

Kairi shifted her position so her chin rested on Sora's shoulder while she gazed at the side of his face.

_[I watch you  
Fast asleep,  
All I fear  
Means nothing…]_

The Keyblade master was sound asleep, as no reaction came about when Kairi gently laced her fingers through his hair.

_[In you and I,  
There's a new land,  
Angels in flight.  
I need more affection than you know.  
My sanctuary,  
My sanctuary, yeah  
Where fears and lies melt away…_

_Music inside,  
I need more affection than you know.  
What's left of me,  
What's left of me…]_

Kairi smiled to herself and paused. Then continuing to gently stroke Sora's hair, Kairi closed her eyes for a moment.

_[So many ups and downs,  
My heart's a battleground.  
I need two emotions,  
But,  
I need more affection than you know.  
I need two emotions…]_

She opened her eyes and inched herself closer to Sora's body, her hands resting on top of his.

_[You show me how to see,  
That nothing is whole  
And nothing is broken…]_

Carefully, Kairi slipped his fingers between Sora's. Their hands were interlocked, and Kairi closed her eyes again.

_[In you and I,  
There's a new land,  
Angels in flight.  
I need more affection than you know.  
My sanctuary,  
My sanctuary, yeah  
Where fears and lies melt away…_

_Music inside,  
I need more affection than you know.  
What's left of me,  
What's left of me now…]_

She wanted to whisper in his ear, but held back. She wanted to say his name, but feared waking her slumbering friend.

_[My fears…  
My lies…  
Melt away…  
I…  
I need more affection than you know]_

She moved over in front of the sleeping Sora and eased her face in. Until their lips were an inch apart, Kairi stopped in her tracks.

"Not yet," she whispered to herself.

Kairi felt a slight smile form, happy with what she already had in her life. If things could progress for the better, she would allow it. But for the time being, the present was what she had already accepted.

Settling back down next to Sora, Kairi leaned her head against his shoulder and gradually let sleep overtake her.


	31. Improving Magic

**Chapter XXXI:**

Kairi let out a small gasp when she woke up finding herself resting on Sora's lap. Fortunately for her, Sora was still asleep unaware of the situation. Kairi took the opportunity to rise first. Looking out the window, she wondered if it was only her imagination that the skies appeared less hazy than before. In any case, overall it was still a gloomy mess, though the skies allowed the formation of small cracks to allow dim sunlight to pass through.

_I'll take that,_ Kairi thought happily.

It was some sort of improvement, but still the job was not done. Sora and she had to find the keyhole. Kairi wondered where the elusive keyhole was. She was not like Sora, who had experience from his past journeys. She did not know what the keyhole looked like or where it could possibly be. However, she _did_ know that by sealing it, there would be a great chance in restoring Destiny Islands to its original state.

Kairi casually tidied and moved a few old pieces of furniture over to the walls or corners of the hut before departing. Most of the villagers were probably still asleep or hiding in their respective huts or houses. Most of the houses that stood were abandoned, which made the atmosphere far more depressing. Kairi looked away and sought out Selphie and the others.

Back in the hut, Sora stirred and banged his head against a nearby table leg. Muttering in protest, Sora glanced around his immediate surroundings and flopped back against the wall. But right away, he noticed Kairi's absence. Quickly, he stuck his head out the window and looked for signs of the girl.

_Long, red hair, _Sora kept noting to himself after a couple of minutes of searching.

Once he located her, relief flowed through his mind. He leapt out of the window and followed out of curiosity. Then again, after considering Kairi's intelligence, Sora figured the girl would have no reason to wander aimlessly. She must have had a reason. Instead, Sora went in the opposite direction towards the entrance of the village, where Kairi and he entered from the day before. The Keyblade master decided he might as well tone his magic skills while he waited for Kairi. The water element, in a way, was his new toy. But he also remembered to work on combination magic and other advanced techniques.

Kairi took a glimpse over her shoulder at Sora's distant figure while she continued on her way. She noted Sora's deliberate attempt to head in the opposite direction. Thus, Kairi decided to make use of the rare instance of solitude. As she strolled along, though, she watched Sora from afar. Then suddenly, powerful bursts of sparks became visible. Without another moment's notice, thunderbolts and brilliant lights were emitted from Sora's location. Kairi concluded that Sora was using his time to tune his magic abilities.

_I wonder if I'll ever be able to reach that level,_ Kairi thought dismally. _Then maybe I could help more instead of putting him in danger._

Kairi found a spot in the village that had a minimal number of huts around. Instead of searching for Selphie and the others, Kairi decided that if she wanted to have any competence in casting spells, then she would need all the practice she could get. But all she knew was the element of fire. If a situation called for a different element, what good would fire do for her? Then Kairi remembered Sora's brief lesson, about envisioning a certain element and tapping into the inner feeling of power that one could conjure, the one that Kairi wore herself out with. Having no knowledge involving the elements, Kairi decided to stick with fire for the time being.

_I'm supposed to nothing more than a simple girl living on a tropical island, _Kairi recalled. She consequently cursed and winced at the thought. _No. I am a princess of heart. Tied to the Keyblade. I have to be tougher than this._

Kairi called out the Oathkeeper and swung it around defiantly. She sought within herself the same feeling of command she felt earlier when she summoned the element of fire. Kairi attempted the task with her eyes closed first, relaxing her whole body, as if she was in meditation. She imagined the furnaces of Hell, which was from her standpoint, the source of all fire. Then she switched the vision to the sun, the source of all energy and heat. Feeling the influences of both foundations, Kairi muttered the spell over and over as the power within her reached its peak. Again, in a swathe of flaming ribbons, the Oathkeeper burned with Kairi's successful fire spell. The girl opened her eyes and smiled in satisfaction.

Maybe it was the way she pictured fire. Instead of it being a deadly force capable of chaos and doom, the fire Kairi rendered was like a work of art. Swinging the burning Oathkeeper, Kairi channeled what was left of her inner power into the Keyblade, projecting the fire into the sky in a helical pattern. The flames exploded miles above the sky in a spectacular array of sparks and flares.

No doubt it was a magnificent display of magic, but Kairi again felt herself wobble with fading energy. Why was this so? Is she physically incapable of using magic in series? Was she only allowed to use a spell once from time to time? They were frustrating thoughts, but Kairi refused to give in. Then and there, she decided that she would push herself over her limit if necessary. Without anymore delays, Kairi resumed her personal training. If she was to become a true Keyblade-wielder, then she must fight like one.

Once again, Kairi began to summon the element of fire, this time the power within her surging to its peak quicker than in her usual attempts. A flicker of flames ejected out of the tip of the Oathkeeper before Kairi released all her channeled energy into the blade, releasing a moderately sized fireball, which crashed and disintegrated into the ground a few yards away from her.

Kairi shielded herself from the dispersing earth. She presumed that the minor explosion probably woke up the entire village. But after sitting and listening for a few minutes and noticing no signs of protests further in the village, Kairi got back in position and initiated another session. She was genuinely feeling the heavy weight of fatigue, as she was nearing the limit of her stamina. This time, however, Kairi wished to perform her abilities with her eyes open. Distractions were everywhere. The looming, hideous, purple clouds, the random squawks of nearby birds, or even insignificant sights like dead trees or light dirt blown by the erratic breezes were all ways Kairi figured her trial could be disrupted.

Breathing in deeply, Kairi kept her eyes open as she pointed the Keyblade towards the sky and called out fire's name. Trying to simultaneously balance out relaxation and stress, Kairi felt streams of sweat flow down the sides of her face. With just a little more effort, Kairi tapped deeper into her inner force, resulting with erupting flames suddenly rocketing into the sky. The force was far stronger than she had imagined, easily knocking her onto the ground and temporarily stunning her. By the time Kairi realized what the situation was, she noticed waves of flames raining down towards her from the sky. In mere seconds, she felt her eyes bulge and her heart stop, bracing herself for impact.

As surprising as the jets of flames were, Kairi was even more astonished when the flames suddenly turned into steam just inches away from her face. Further up in the sky, the rain of fire was substituted by a quick torrential downpour. Utterly confused, Kairi sat up and looked around her. She noticed further up on a hill behind her was Sora, with water dripping out of the tip of his Oblivion. If Kairi was not mistaken, she could have sworn that Sora was directing a silly smile at her.

"Hey, you! What's so funny?" Kairi shouted, resisting to smile back.

"This," Sora answered from above as he released a small gush of cold water onto Kairi.

Sora slid down the hill to Kairi, who was still sitting on the ground, gasping and trying to squeeze some water off her drenched clothes.

"Pfft," Kairi sputtered, flicking water out from her dress at Sora. "How long were you watching?"

"Not too long. I came by when I heard an explosion," Sora replied, planting himself on the ground next to her. "You wanna know somethin'? You definitely improved."

"Thanks, but… all I know is fire right now."

"You can do the same for other elements. Trust me, it's all in the visioning!"

Kairi assumed Sora did not know that she almost kissed him last night. Sora looked completely oblivious. All he mentioned was how he finally had a good night's sleep, how he ran into a table when he woke up, and about the solo magic training he had earlier before. When Kairi asked Sora if he recalled anything from the night before, Sora only remembered a few things.

"Well… we heard some really bad news… and… umm," Sora recalled. "We visited my mom… and… I think that's, err… I think that's about it."

It was two-in-one feeling for Kairi, as she was both somewhat relieved yet fairly disappointed. Shyness prohibited her from actually telling Sora how she felt, along with the fear of damaging their already fruitful relationship. Certainly she had implied her feelings over many occasions, such as carving a drawing of her sharing a Paopu fruit with Sora in the Secret Place, not to mention casually hugging him time to time. Still, Kairi felt no reason to blame Sora. His naivety was the cause, yet it was the same naivety that charmed her.

"Hmm, yeah," Kairi decided finally, effectively dropping the subject.

"Hey, you two!" a voice called from above the hill. Sora and Kairi turned around to see Selphie sitting on top of the hill. "Watcha guys doing?"

"Nothing much, Selphie! Come on over!" Kairi called.

"When this is all settled out, it'll probably be just in time for school again," Selphie said as she sat down next to Kairi.

_School. _ _I totally forgot, _Sora thought. "Er… school?"

"A place where you learn, Sora," Selphie snickered. "Oh, right, I forgot. You and Riku haven't been in one for so long. You think you guys will get left back or something?"

_I've got other things more important to think about right now,_ Sora wanted to say. "Ah, I dunno. Hope not."

"Hey, Selphie. Just wondering… have you seen a keyhole or something of the sort anywhere before?" Kairi asked.

"Keyhole," Selphie wondered. "Oh―isn't there something like that in the place where you and Sora go all the time? You know, the door you told me―"

Sora stood up abruptly.

"Sora?" Kairi asked in a concerned voice.

"I'm going there right now," Sora said as he dashed over the hill and out of sight.

Before Kairi and Selphie could respond, the Keyblade master was already well on his way to that humble domain of memories: their Secret Place.


	32. Deciphering Ansem's Other Reports

**Chapter XXXII:**

"How could I have missed it?" Sora groaned out loud while he charged through the village.

Many people inside the broken down huts peered out of their respective windows. Although most of them gazed at the rushing adolescent with wonder, basically all of the villagers saw no relevance in Sora's raucous complaints. At least he knew where he had to go now. Sora picked up his pace and reached the entrance of the village before long.

"Sora!" someone called.

Sora turned around to see Kairi hurrying up to him. Following closely behind her were Selphie, Tidus, and Wakka. Sora grinned and then raised his eyebrow in question.

"Um… Selphie, Tidus, and Wakka… you guys aren't planning on following Kairi and me are you?" Sora asked slowly.

"Not at all, man. We're here to wave you two off!" Wakka said cheerfully.

"And here―it's probably not gonna work on a Keyblade, but try putting it on whenever," Selphie said, holding out a distinct object to Sora.

"What's this?" Sora asked, examining the small chain.

"It's like Kairi's lucky charm, and this one's for both of you guys. We hope you two will find success along your journey," Selphie continued.

On the chain, there was a small ornament designed into a shape of a ring with thalassa shells and Paopu fruit leaves. Indeed it was an attractive looking charm, which Sora safely tucked the charm into his pockets.

"Thanks," he said.

"Now go. Fly home. Just be careful, you two," Tidus said.

"We will," Sora answered. "Let's go, Kairi."

"Take care of yourselves, guys. We'll have everything fixed up soon," said Kairi.

The two warriors set out into the clearing again, this time taking a different route, towards the north. Out of all places, the Secret Place on the northern coast was most likely the location of the islands' keyhole.

_How could I have missed it…_ Sora thought again.

The door in the corner of the cave, it was more than a likely candidate, one that Sora figured he should have thought of earlier. He could easily recall the darkness that flowed out of that door before…

_[Fighting a never-ending barrage of Shadow Heartless, Sora finally made his way into the Secret Place. Inside, he saw Kairi, the girl seemingly disoriented and traumatized.  
"__Kairi!" he yelled out.  
"__Sora…"  
Then the door opened―that mysterious door that was always tucked in the corner of the cave. It opened and a great gust of pure darkness blew Kairi towards Sora. He tried to grab hold of her, but she disappeared…]_

_That door's gonna stay closed for good now,_ Sora told himself.

_

* * *

_Sarlix and Xymgrel tore through their portals and landed in a distant world, far away from the Radiant Garden. Reuniting with their halves and even seeking vengeance against Maleficent were only at the bottom of their to-do list. The two Nobodies wanted answers, more information about their existences. Safely tucked away under Xymgrel's cloak were Ansem's Reports. Both Sarlix and Xymgrel skimmed the first few papers to get a glimpse of the content. But now that they were not in the middle of a battlefield, the two Nobodies decided to take the time to study the Reports.

_[Many years of hard work have come to fruition; this world that I govern has become a paradise, aptly named the "Radiant Garden."  
Flowers bloom with a fragrant aroma, raised by the pure water which brings forth life. The people pass their days with smiling faces full of hope.  
But wherever there is light, doubtless there is darkness lurking. As I have written in my recent report, I must decipher the mystery behind "the darkness in human hearts" to protect this paradise.  
Firstly, I will carry out experiments to seek out the depths of the human heart.  
One of my six disciples, Xehanort, has volunteered himself as a test subject.  
Since I found him collapsed in the street all those years ago and took him in, he has become a youth who serves me well.  
At that time, he had lost his memories entirely, but afterwards he began to exhibit a remarkable inquisitive mind. He absorbed my teachings incredibly quickly, and amassed a deep knowledge.  
He is somewhat undeveloped in maturity, but this problem is due to his youth. If I can seek Xehanort's heart through psychological experiments, I may also be able to unlock his sealed-off past.  
It seems that another of my disciples, Even, also has a strong interest in Xehanort's memories. But I wonder whether it is truly good that is in him.  
Certainly, Xehanort possesses a rare talent...  
It is far too excellent. Even surpassing that of a human]_

That was the first Report.

"Xehanort?" Sarlix mumbled. She flipped out the next sheet.

_[I have made a grave error.  
The research plans I made about the "darkness in the heart," beginning with meager psychological experiments, have rapidly grown immensely.  
As enthusiastically advised by my youngest disciple, Ienzo, I have prepared a grand-scale research laboratory below the castle.  
Unbeknownst to me, my six disciples gathered a great amount of test subjects and began dangerous experiments into the darkness of the heart.  
As soon as I found out about this, I gathered my disciples and ordered a stop to the research, and to discard the results thus far.  
What has happened to the hearts of the six who were once my loyal disciples?  
While pursuing the mystery of the darkness in the heart, did they themselves lose their way in the darkness? And the most foolish thing is that it was I who originally began these experiments.  
Whatever the reason, the depths of the human heart should not be meddled with by others.  
I despaired in my own error.  
It was a visitor from another world who cured my grief-stricken heart.  
A small king named "Mickey" carried the legendary key in his hand.  
Yes, it was the "Keyblade" which was said to have brought chaos and prosperity to the world a long time ago.  
He had a great amount of interesting knowledge, and we had enjoyable lengthy discussions, growing closer.  
On his advice, I decided to reexamine the data from the underground laboratory.  
And I discovered the "Ansem Reports."  
They carried my name, but the only one that I wrote was Number 0.  
Number 1 through Number 8 were written by that man of his own volition.  
By the first test subject of my foolish experiment]_

"What?" Xymgrel stuttered. "There's another set of Ansem Reports?"

"I thought these were the ones," said Sarlix. "Well, look, it says, 'They carried my name, but the only one that I wrote was Number 0. Number 1 through Number 8 were written by that man of his own volition. By the first test subject of my foolish experiment.' Maybe…"

"Xehanort wrote the other set? Why would he go under Ansem's name?" Xymgrel wondered.

"Yeah. And who's Ienzo?" Sarlix wondered.

"Dunno. And it seems like the king will be playing a greater role in this story…"

_ [The "chaos" has spread to many worlds, not just this one.  
My apprentice Xehanort has, in the "Ansem Reports," which he wrote under my name, hypothesized about the process of the terrible experiments that he carried out and the "door" that appeared in the underground darkness.  
Every living being has a heart, and in the depths of every heart there is darkness.  
The same is true for "worlds." If you consider that a world has one life, it hides a great heart...  
And in its depths, an immense darkness.  
Is Xehanort trying to understand the "door" to make contact with the darkness in the worlds?  
No, not just Xehanort.  
It seems that the other five disciples have become enveloped by the darkness as a result of their fixation on it for their research.  
Even, Ienzo, Braig, Dilan, and Elaeus… they have ceased to be human.  
And I have lost everything, exiled to a nonexistent world.  
Having exiled me, what could Xehanort be aiming for?  
Have everyone's smiling faces gone?  
As the light of hope has faded, I will now walk along with the darkness.  
In the world of nothingness to which I have been exiled.  
Darkness within nothingness. "Darkness in Zero."  
Therefore, I will take the name "DiZ."  
I will cast aside the exile's name, "Ansem," and have my revenge]_

"Even, Ienzo, Braig, Dilan, and Elaeus. They all became Heartless and Nobodies," Sarlix noted.

"Same with Xehanort. He was like us, he became a Heartless and a Nobody, except he did it with his own will," said Xymgrel.

_[The days spent in that beautiful paradise already seem so far as to be a vision.  
How much time has passed in this world of nothingness to which I have been exiled?  
In this world of nothingness where all existence has gone, I have barely managed to keep myself intact through rage and hatred.  
My heart is filled with hatred towards the disciples who were taken by the darkness, and rage at my own foolish self who was betrayed by them.  
Is this what it is like to be taken by the darkness?  
I will not continue to pass this time in vain.  
What are Xehanort and the others aiming for?  
I must work out the mystery of the "Ansem Reports" that man wrote, stop them, and defeat them.  
That is my mission… given to me by the world, the only way.  
The key is those without a heart, the "Heartless."  
Embodiments of the darkness in the heart. Accursed shadows with no hearts who steal the hearts of all living things and multiply.  
Where did they come from, and where are they going?  
The three elements that compose life… the heart, the soul, the body.  
When life loses the heart, what happens to the leftover soul and body?  
When the soul leaves the body, which it lives in as a vessel, life dies.  
But if the heart is removed, what happens?  
Even if the heart is separated from the body, life is not destroyed.  
The heart simply disappears into the darkness.  
I have little time.  
If I stay in this world indefinitely, will I both have a body and know the answer?  
My heart is already being captured by the darkness]_

"I don't get it," Xymgrel scoffed. "So our hearts got removed. The hearts disappeared into the darkness, forming our Heartless halves. But for our souls... Do we have souls?"

"We have our souls. If not, we would not exist," Sarlix suggested.

"But we _don't_ exist, technically, at all, do we?"

"Physically we do…"

_[In this world where all existence is disassembled, I barely keep myself intact through thinking and writing alone.  
Even with time, this world has no meaning.  
Here, eternity and an instant are the same.  
I must hurry.  
They have undoubtedly already begun their activity.  
The key to unraveling the mystery is the "Heartless."  
The six betrayers conducted the research which brought forth these accursed shadows.  
They didn't just create "pureblood" Heartless from the human heart; they used them to artificially synthesize Heartless.  
It seems that they have given these artificial Heartless a mark and called them "Emblems."  
But whether pureblood Heartless or Emblem, Heartless without a heart moves following an instinctive desire.  
They simply seek out hearts and gather.  
With a human-like opponent, all they do is they easily remove the heart and take it into themselves, creating more companions. They do not listen to the orders of humans.  
But, what about the orders of stronger Heartless?  
If, for example, that man discarded his soul and body to become a Heartless, could he not lead the naturally unleaderlike Heartless?  
Furthermore, does he intend to take advantage of the Heartless' instinct?  
If the Heartless, who seek out hearts, are aiming for a bigger, stronger heart, the final objective is clear.  
In this world, the greatest heart is… "the heart of the worlds."  
Everything is just a hypothesis, but that he is using the Heartless to find the path to the heart of the world is certain]_

"The heart of the worlds?" Sarlix repeated in question.

"I thought the Heartless were just walking dummies," Xymgrel muttered. "Seems like they're a really powerful bunch. It's just unfortunate for them that those living lumps of darkness don't realize it."

_[In the world of nothingness, my choice to walk along with the darkness was not mistaken.  
I did not refuse the darkness, nor did I fear it, and when I looked straight ahead with a silent heart, I acquired a new power.  
Power surpassing a human… the power of darkness.  
Xehanort and the others were captivated by this power, and soon captured by it.  
Naturally, I do not plan to have my heart taken and be eaten up by the darkness as they were.  
Through this new power, I discovered the "Dark Corridor," which connects the world of nothingness to the physical world.  
Going back and forth freely is still difficult, but my time of exile is at an end.  
To prevent Xehanort and the others from recognizing me, I have taken a new form upon my return to the world of light.  
As I thought, Xehanort has become a Heartless.  
Under my name he controls the Heartless, and has taken many worlds' hearts.  
Xehanort wishes to use the center of the worlds' hearts he has collected, namely "Kingdom Hearts," in an attempt to call forth a great darkness and return everything to darkness.  
Furthermore, the other five disciples have shed their bodies.  
Have they become Heartless, like Xehanort?  
Or did Xehanort use them and then destroy them?  
While seeking the truth, I found a strange "existence."  
When life loses the heart, the soul and body are left behind.  
When a Heartless is created, they disappear from the world of light and are reborn into a new existence in a completely different world]_

"Nobodies," Sarlix whispered.

"Kingdom Hearts," Xymgrel said, flipping out another sheet.

_[It is convenient for dark existences and those without a heart, but for others, the "Dark Corridor" is unsafe for frequent use.  
My heart will be taken by the darkness.  
While seeking a place to continue my investigation and planning while hidden from them, I have reached Twilight Town.  
A quiet town, forgotten in the space between light and dark. I decided to move under an abandoned mansion on the other side of the forest.  
As a result of continuing my investigation in secret, I have made one discovery after another.  
When beings without hearts, Heartless, are born, the remaining soul and body are born in this world as a different existence.  
They have different objectives to the Heartless, and I do not know what "it" is that they aim for, but as I had thought, they are existences, which bring chaos to the world.  
While the followers of the king, my visitor from a long time ago, together with the Keyblade master, fight the Heartless, who threaten the world with darkness, a new threat is emerging in the worlds.  
Another threat… they have named themselves with a certain irony.  
They have named themselves the non-existent ones, "Nobodies."  
Most Nobodies have lost their human forms, like the Heartless.  
But the Nobodies born from those with strong hearts only change a little on the outside, keeping human form.  
It seems that the ones who betrayed me have become Nobodies keeping their human forms, gathered allies, and are proceeding with new plans.  
With the betrayers at the center, the "Thirteenth Order" has been created from 13 Nobodies, and separated into two groups, continuing with some kind of research.  
I have decided to go to where 6 of them are assembled, to find out the objectives of the Order.  
To "Castle Oblivion," towering at the end of the World In-Between]_

"Yep," Sarlix sighed. "They became Nobodies."

"Thirteenth Order?" Xymgrel asked. "As in Organization XIII? Our predecessors?"

"Who _are_ these guys…"

_[It appears that I have been too caught up in the movements of Xehanort and the others, and events relating to them.  
Fighting between friends… the fight to protect the world of light from the Heartless threat is over. Xehanort's Heartless, the being calling himself the researcher of darkness, Ansem, has been destroyed.  
The "Hero" who holds a different Keyblade to the king has passed through many worlds, closed the doors' "keyholes" and defeated the Heartless.  
On the other hand, having plunged into the world of darkness, the king worked together with the Keyblade master to close the door between the worlds of light and darkness, Kingdom Hearts, removing the threat of the great darkness.  
But many Heartless are swarming the worlds, and the "Thirteenth Order" and the Nobodies are working in secret.  
The worlds are still in great danger.  
I must find some means to fight the worlds' enemies. That is my atonement… and my revenge.  
For that reason, I have infiltrated "Castle Oblivion."  
From the 13th floor to the lower 12th floor, the castle's "white rooms" take and freely change around visitors' memories.  
Some of those from the Thirteenth Order are conducting experiments on memories in this castle.  
It appears that the test subject of this experiment, a girl called "Naminé," possesses an extremely unique power. What can emerge from this power of hers?  
I have been continuing my investigations in secret without disturbing the Thirteenth Order. But today, a further visitor had appeared.  
"Sora," the Keyblade master who defeated Ansem and his companions.  
And there is the scent of darkness in the lower depths of the castle.  
It seems that the actors in this little drama are gathering]_

"Sora, huh," Sarlix said. "Tough kid."

"I agree," said Xymgrel.

_ [This truly is the Keyblade master. Sora has unravelled the Thirteenth Order's conspiracy and rescued Naminé.  
Naminé was a witch who controls others' memories.  
It appears that she gained this ability through being born by a special process.  
Naminé is a girl, but was a princess.  
A long time ago, when I governed the "Radiant Garden," one of the denizens was "Kairi," one of the seven princesses who support the world of light.  
There was no Heartless born from Kairi, who carries no darkness in her heart, and her body which should have disappeared remained in the world of light.  
That is to say, in the case of the Nobody called Naminé, both a Heartless as evidence of a lost heart, and a body to act as the intermediary for the creation of a Nobody are missing. She is an extremely unstable existence, and therefore has no memories of Kairi.  
Another cause is that Kairi's heart, having been separated from her body, did not return to the darkness, but instead found another vessel… concealed behind Sora's heart.  
That is to say, Naminé is an offshoot of Kairi, who directly interfered with Sora's heart. Because of that, she was be able to manipulate the memories of Sora and those whose hearts are connected to his.  
She is truly a "non-existent one." Without even becoming a Nobody, she has no place to go, and is the most fickle of shadows]_

"Interesting," Sarlix said.

"What is?" Xymgrel asked.

"When I ran into Sora for the first time, I met with Kairi, too."

"And what is so special about this Kairi? Seems to me that this Naminé girl is more of a character than Kairi," Xymgrel said.

"With Kairi at Sora's side," Sarlix began. "Strangely, I can't keep hold on Sora's mind."

"Huh."

"I really don't get why that happens whenever Kairi is by Sora," Sarlix remarked with a chuckle.

_[Sora, who lost his memories in Castle Oblivion, has gone into a deep sleep to recover them. However, I believe it will require a considerable amount of time to recover completely the memories from his birth to the present time.  
But Castle Oblivion is a place that was controlled by the Thirteenth Order. I must care for Sora in a safer place. I have decided to persuade Naminé to help, and take the sleeping Sora to Twilight Town to protect him.  
Naminé.  
As I wrote before, she is an extremely unique existence. Born through the same process as a Nobody, but missing certain elements that characterize a Nobody.  
That she continues to draw pictures is possibly compensating for what she lacks… from other people's, mainly Sora's, memories.  
I have formed a hypothesis.  
I believe that Naminé was born as a unique Nobody when Sora turned the Keyblade on his own body and his and Kairi's "hearts" departed his body at the same time.  
Naminé was born as Kairi's Nobody.  
But to become a Nobody, Sora's body and soul were used as an intermediary…  
When a person loses their heart, a Heartless with no sense of self is born, and the leftover body and soul are used as an intermediary to give birth to a Nobody.  
But what about those who chose to release their heart?  
Sora and Xehanort, even though they became Heartless, kept their sense of self.  
And in the case of Kairi and Naminé.  
The exception that Kairi's heart had no darkness, and the exception that Kairi's heart used Sora as a vessel when she lost it… The cause may be due to all of these impossible exceptions piling up.  
While Sora sleeps, I will do what I must.  
A new ally has appeared, named Riku]_

"Hmm, Riku," Sarlix repeated.

"What about him?" Xymgrel inquired.

"I sorta tossed him somewhere. When Maleficent ordered to capture a Keyblade-wielder, I found Riku first and just threw him somewhere," Sarlix explained. "Theoretically, I didn't really capture him. I wonder where he is now…"

"I don't recognize any of these names, except Sora's," Xymgrel sighed.

"So Kairi and Naminé are the same…" Sarlix noted, ignoring Xymgrel.

"Not really," said Xymgrel. "Kairi is Naminé's original. Like… er, what's his name—Gylmer was mine, if you will."

"That's what I meant. Technically, they're the same person. Except there is no Heartless half for Kairi."

_[I have reunited with a friend from Castle Oblivion, but I could not let him know of my origins.  
If he were to discover the circumstances, that I was obsessed with revenge, he would attempt to stop me.  
I would like to talk animatedly with him like before, but… unfortunately, that is already a wish that will not be fulfilled.  
My friend has been fighting in the world of darkness for all this time.  
I believe that he most likely entered the world of darkness through "Traverse Town."  
As with Castle Oblivion, that town is a world between light and darkness.  
A world created by the gathered fragments of worlds which had lost their hearts to the Heartless.  
A place where the people could escape to, having barely escaped the destruction of their own worlds.  
Worlds in-between are truly unstable, where the Dark Corridor frequently opens up.  
When a world disappears, drifters seem to pass through the Dark Corridor from their lost worlds.  
Doubtlessly, Sora passed through the Dark Corridor when he first arrived at Traverse Town.  
It seems that my friend who fought in the world of darkness followed the Dark Corridor what the Thirteenth Order made contact with, and appeared in Castle Oblivion.  
The new ally, Riku, also managed to return through the Dark Corridor.  
He promised his help unconditionally, for the sake of his closest friend Sora.  
The truth is that Sora's memory restoration is taking too long.  
Therefore, I have entrusted Riku with the task of retrieving the other Sora… Sora's Nobody.  
Sora is essential to the completion of my objective.  
He is the Keyblade master who will defeat the Thirteenth Order flying about the world of light]_

"What the?" Xymgrel muttered. "Sora has a Nobody?"

"Odd," Sarlix said quietly.

_[With the exception of Naminé, Nobodies remember their time as Sora's Nobody, "Roxas," has lost the memories of when he was Sora.  
The reason for this may be that Sora spent little time as a Heartless while Roxas was left behind as a Nobody, and returned to becoming a human with a heart.  
Somehow, Roxas is similar to Naminé. While being Kairi's Nobody, Naminé was born using Sora's body and soul as an intermediary.  
And Roxas was Sora's Nobody, left behind when Sora returned to being a human through not his own heart, but using Kairi's heart as an intermediary.  
I believe that Sora's memory restoration is delayed due to having lost half of himself, Roxas.  
I must turn him into data, and return him to Sora.  
As a member of the Thirteenth Order, capturing Roxas presented an extreme difficulty.  
Riku, having lost to Roxas once, confronted him again having shed his form and wielding the power of darkness. He barely managed to bring him back.  
But the Thirteenth Order is in pursuit. Here in Twilight Town is where Roxas was born as a Nobody.  
This is where Roxas met the Thirteenth Order and became a member.  
They will discover this place in the moment, I have converted all of Twilight Town into data, and formed a "copy of the world" in Sora's memories.  
I will send Roxas there and devise a restoration of Sora's memories as the days pass.  
There is not much time left. The Thirteenth Order's plans must also be steadily progressing]_

"What the hell?" Xymgrel spat. "This is so confusing for me."

"Roxas, hmm," Sarlix wondered, again ignoring Xymgrel's complaints. "And he was part of Organization XIII. How ironic. The hero of the Keyblade's own Nobody was on his enemies' side."

"Still a jumbled mess of info in my opinion," Xymgrel mumbled.

"Well, too bad, that was the last of the Reports. If we have to find out more, our only sources of information left are Sora and the king," said Sarlix. "Judging from Sora's successes, the Organization has been completely eliminated."

"What a mess, what a mess…" Xymgrel muttered to himself as Sarlix and he summoned their own respective corridors, leaving the remote world in search for either Sora or Mickey.


	33. Pete and the Islands' Keyhole

**Chapter XXXIII:**

_Home_, Sora thought.

It had been only a few days, yet it felt like months since he had returned to the northern shorelines. He instantly identified the dock where Riku, Kairi, and he spent many hours simply relaxing and watching the sunset and crashing waves. It was uncomfortably quiet, but Sora figured it had to be since the majority of the residents had evacuated to locations on other parts of the islands.

Instead of standing and reminiscing about what Destiny Islands _should_ look like, Sora quickly made his way towards the Secret Place. At the entrance, the vegetation had grown rampant. But something unnatural caught Sora's eyes. The vines, shrubs, and other greenery seemed to have been artificially moved, more so to cover the entrance on purpose. Slightly bothered the deduction, Sora whipped out his Keyblade and began hacking at the dense vegetation. Kairi summoned the Oathkeeper and held back Sora's swinging arm for a moment.

"Here, allow me," she said, permitting herself to take over.

Quickly, the Oathkeeper emitted a radiant glow, shooting a hot beam of light that torched away all the blocking foliage. Sora smirked and put his hands on his hips.

"Sometimes you surprise me, Kairi," he said. "Fire… in the form of… uh, a laser… um, beam."

"You just gotta vision it, dummy," Kairi said smiling, poking Sora's head with her finger. "Take your own advice!"

Sora dusted off the burnt, ashen vines. He gestured for Kairi to follow closely behind as he bent over and inched into the cave. The cave itself was small, with its small entrance and narrow pathway in between the main chamber and the entrance. It was not a long way in before Sora and Kairi found themselves with a heart stopping surprise.

A robust, and excessively bulky, figure loomed in the chamber. The lack of sunlight reduced the cave into a gloomy, damp cellar. Still, a shine was reflected off of the figure's armor and chains, revealing…

"What are you doing here?!" Sora yelled.

"Oh, _great_…"

"Pete!"

"Pete?" Kairi asked.

"Oh, no…"

"Argh!" Sora yelled, charging forth.

"No, wait!" Pete cried.

"How did you get in here?!" Sora roared, lunging with the Oblivion extended outward.

Pete ducked and rolled away from Sora's lethal attack. Sora landed by the brown door, smoothly kicked off of it, and continued to fly towards Pete. This time Sora landed feet first on top of the giant black cat-like creature. Pinning Pete's arms down with his feet, Sora glowered and pointed his Keyblade at his adversary.

"Well, aren't you gonna say anything?" Sora muttered.

"Awright… All right! You win; now please get off of me! Your shoes feel like cleats on my arms…" Pete howled.

Sora cautiously stepped to the side while Pete, who Sora just noticed was completely unarmed and appeared already fairly beat up, sat up and rubbed his head.

"Three questions to start off," Sora announced. "Why are you here? How did you get in here? And what happened to you after the Heartless swarmed over you and Maleficent at Organization XIII's stronghold?"

Pete stood up and patted the dust and grime off of himself.

"Hmm," he started and cleared his throat. "I think I should answer your last question first.

"Go for it," said Sora, his Keyblade still tilted towards the stocky villain.

"Shortly after the Heartless attacked me and Maleficent, Maleficent did something weird that allowed her to take control again," Pete explained. "And then I guess I said somethin' I shouldn't have… I kinda said I had enough. That I don't wanna be part of all this Heartless and Nobody ordeal. And how typical of Maleficent to call me a useless imbecile and then toss me into the darkness."

"Wait, she just _tossed_ you into the darkness?" Sora asked.

"Ever wonder what woulda happened if you fell down into the pits of the organization's stronghold? Well, I didn't until Maleficent threw me down there. I fell and fell, and every second I was falling I kept thinkin', 'I wonder if I'll crash eventually…' But anyway, I just closed my eyes and… everything was black and unclear. I felt like I was floatin' and stuff. I figured I was in the darkness and that was all there was to it."

"Poor Pete," Kairi said out of nowhere. Sora rolled his eyes.

"And who's this girl?" Pete asked. "A friend of yours?"

"Yeah, and don't get any closer though," Sora muttered defensively. "You've still got my other two questions to answer."

"Oh, that's right. Er… what were they again?" Pete sputtered, scratching his head.

"_Why_ are you here on Destiny Islands and _how_ did you get here?" Sora repeated, shaking his head in vexation.

"Oh… I came through that door there," Pete answered, pointing to the enigmatic door that rested in the back of the Secret Place. "Why am I here? I dunno. I saw a white door openin' in the darkness and I took the chance and went through it. All of a sudden, I fell out of the darkness and into this cave―"

_The door to the light?_ Sora wondered. _Can't be, can it?_

"―Anyway," Pete was continuing to say. "You two came in only a few seconds after I fell in here. But I saw someone here before you two came in. There was this guy with silvery blue hair―"

"Riku?!" Sora and Kairi gasped in unison.

"Yeah, whatever his name is. The moment I fell out of the door, I saw him point his… maybe a Keyblade like yours, he pointed at the door and… click, I think he locked it," Pete said, making locking gestures with his fingers.

Sora and Kairi stared at each other, stunned and speechless.

"No wonder we didn't see any Heartless while coming here," Kairi said. "And no wonder when I woke up today, there was definitely sunlight coming through the dark clouds!"

"You think Riku already sealed the islands' keyhole?" Sora whispered. "That means… Kairi! Riku's gotta be somewhere on the island then!"

"Yeah! Maybe he's―"

"No, I don't think he's here anymore," Pete said.

"And why's that?" Sora retorted, his mood changing immediately.

"Y'know how Maleficent opens portals and stuff with dark magic? I think your friend Riku can do the same thing. After he locked the… er, keyhole thingie, he gave me a dumb smirk and then disappeared through a black portal."

"H-huh…?" Kairi murmured.

"No…" Sora groaned, fully aware of what Pete meant. _How could he go back into the realm of darkness?_

The sun began to shine again as the Secret Place's wall drawings gradually became visible. The dampness began disappearing and everything slowly grew bright again. Pete looked around confusedly and shrugged.

"Well, then," he said. "Don't hurt me, kid, I ain't meanin' any harm now. I'm gonna go home."

Sora sat on the ground, clearly in disappointment. But he looked towards Pete.

"Home?" the Keyblade master asked. "Where's that for you?"

"I might visit the ol' king again," Pete chuckled in a hoarse tone. Before another word, he departed.

Sora sat on the ground while Kairi stood closely behind him. If it weren't for the displeasing news about Riku, Sora and Kairi would have been celebrating with glee for the return of the sunshine, the imminent restoration of Destiny Islands, and the removal of the Heartless.

Kairi looked towards the entrance of the cave. Undeniably, the sun was shining again and the islands should be back to normal soon. Rays of light also penetrated the cave, highlighting the illustrations on the walls. The girl looked at the drawing of Sora and her exchanging Paopu fruits. She smiled.

Sora also glanced at the same drawing and felt a small smile stretching along his face. Their first mission was complete, although by someone else. Without a doubt, there was still more to come.


	34. One Story's Start, Another One's End

**Chapter XXXIV:**

At the entrance of the Secret Place, Sora and Kairi stared out into the open and basked in the revived sunshine under the clear blue sky. Old, hazy clouds—remnants of the darkness—disappeared into the glorious sun. Immediately, the environment seemed to be coming back to life. The trees, island critters, virtually all life sprung out from their dormant states. Sora noticed the instant changes. He began to hear birdcalls from the distance and felt the gentle breeze now grazing comfortably by the back of his neck. He felt an incomparible tranquility deep within his heart, knowing his island home was finally safe.

Still, Pete's appearance was not so reassuring for the young Keyblade-wielder. Sora believed Pete's story, as it was pretty much the same as the one Maleficent told him, but whether or not Pete had any ulterior motive for landing on the islands Sora did not know. Was Pete telling the truth when he stated he randomly found his way to the islands? Even so, was he going to peacefully leave the islands? The thoughts annoyed Sora, which was not to go unnoticed by Kairi.

"Sora, what's bothering you now? Aren't you happy the islands are almost back to normal?" Kairi asked.

"Yeah, I am," Sora responded. He turned to face the inside of the Secret Place. "But… Pete. I still dunno why he's here or why he's still hanging around."

"Mm," Kairi hummed. She leaned her head on Sora's back. "You worry too much."

_Maybe_, Sora thought. "Hey, Kairi. C'mon, let's go back to the village where everyone's hiding. Maybe we can help get everyone back home before we have to leave."

"To find Riku and everyone else?" Kairi asked.

"We gotta find all the other keyholes remember? And, yeah, we definitely have to find Riku, too."

Normally, the beach on a typical summer day would have Sora, Kairi, and Riku sitting around by the shore, the dock or pier, enjoying the view of the sunset and the horizons. Further off, Tidus and Wakka would be locked in a competitive game of Blitzball. No matter what, there would always be many people out in the sunshine. At the moment, though, only Sora and Kairi inhabited the northern shores.

The two of them finally made their departure. Truthfully, Sora did feel relieved in their comfortable stroll back to the other villagers. He no longer had to continuously scan all around him for Heartless ambushes, worry about tripping over roots and shrubs in the dark, or fear getting lost in the entire process. The islands' keyhole was finally locked.

"Sora, why do you think Riku came back without telling us?" Kairi asked all of a sudden.

_Because he doesn't want us to see him using the powers of darkness again_, Sora would have said right away. He quickly thought of an alternative explanation. "Um, you know Riku's weird like that."

"Seriously, Sora!" Kairi groaned. "I'm really wondering now."

Sora sighed. There was no use dodging reality.

"Remember he had that blindfold when we first saw him after such a long time?" Sora inquired. "It's a sign. It's the same thing. He's using the powers of darkness again. And he doesn't want us to see him like that."

"Oh," Kairi said. "He's acting like such a big brother now."

"He is…" Sora said, his voice drifting off. He saw something in the sky. "What the…?"

Kairi followed Sora's eyes towards whatever caught his attention. A small speck? Before she knew it, Sora was already sprinting off in the direction of the dot in the sky. Kairi had no choice but to run along. Sora was shouting and madly swinging his Keyblade. Jumping up onto the coconut trees, Sora gained more and more altitude until he leapt nearing the height of the flying object.

It was the Highwind. But someone else was piloting it.

Making another giant leap, Sora clung onto the left wing of the Gummi ship. Climbing and inching closer to the cockpit window, Sora saw him.

"Pete!" Sora roared. He began to furiously bash the cockpit with the Keyblade. "Get out of there!"

"No can do, kid," Pete muttered in irritation. "I lost some of my powers. Gotta find some other way to get outta here first, y'know?"

Somersaulting, the Highwind threw Sora off, sending the Keyblade master plunging towards the ground. Sora thought he was a goner before something drew him into a force, stopping his disastrous fall. Instead of crashing, he was gently dropped to the ground. Sora turned and his eyes widened in astonishment when he saw Kairi, who shrugged coyly.

"Kairi? You did that?" Sora sputtered. "How'd you just randomly threw a Magnet spell out there?"

"Magnet?" Kairi wondered out loud, more to herself. "So that's what it was? I was just trying to do _something_, anything that can help save you from that fall."

"Well, it sure worked," Sora exclaimed. He couldn't believe it. Kairi was turning out to be more of a fighter than he imagined.

_At least I can help now_, she thought happily.

"Bad news though, Kairi," Sora said, changing his tone. "Pete took our ship."

"Oh," Kairi gasped, putting a hand to her mouth.

"Ugh, I knew it. I knew he was gonna cause problems for us," Sora grumbled.

"Oh, well, it can't be all that bad, can it?" Kairi suggested, trying to cheer Sora up.

"Well, besides the fact that we can't get anywhere else now," Sora grumbled again. He shook his head. "Sorry, I'm just a little ticked by this."

"That's okay," Kairi said reassuringly. "We'll find some other way to travel. Anyway, we can't all be happy, perfect, and cheery all the time, right?"

"I guess that's true," Sora chuckled.

* * *

_Alright, I scored big this time!_ Pete thought to himself. _With this ship, I can practically go anywhere now! And I finally lost that kid for once. Now where should I go? Hmm…_

As Pete pondered his situation, he thought about going back to the dreaded Maleficent, to gain some control over the Heartless again, or even raiding Disney Castle if he had a decently sized Heartless army. He scratched off the first choice. He could not go back to Maleficent. The sorceress took him for dead anyway. And the idea about raiding Disney Castle? Pete realized he probably had no chance of accomplishing anything there even with a decently sized Heartless army.

Pete's train of thought was interrupted by an infernal beeping noise. Spastic for a few seconds, Pete pushed random buttons to silence the noise. One button he pushed silenced the beeping, but turned on a transmission screen in the process. On it was the face of Donald. Pete gasped and flew backwards off his chair.

"Sora? Sora is that you?" Donald quacked.

"Er, uh," Pete mumbled. "Y-yes, this is Sora―"

"Huh…" Donald grunted on the other side. "No, you're not. You think for traveling over a year with Sora I wouldn't recognize his voice—eh… wait! You're not Sora! Show yourself!"

Pete raised his head a couple of inches, which Donald identified right away.

"Wak! Pete?!"

"Hey, you, how do you turn this contraption off," Pete complained, pushing more random buttons.

"You! What have you done with Sora?!" Donald quacked riotously.

"Geez, you're louder than that beepin' noise from before," Pete continued to complain.

"When we find you―" the mage threatened.

"We?" Pete asked cautiously.

"Shut up!" Donald screeched. "When we find you, the king's seriously gonna lock you―"

Pete finally pushed the right button that shut off the transmission screen. He heaved a great sigh and flopped back onto the comfortable pilot chair. Looking out into the void, Pete noticed a bright star in the distance.

_Well, maybe I'll go there first, wherever that is. I ain't gettin' locked up._

Millions and millions of miles away, Donald violently smashed the transmission button on the Celsius. He roughly slumped back onto his chair, crossed his arms, and made a contorted face of utter fury. Goofy sat nearby, scratching his head.

"Ya know, maybe Sora's all right, he just doesn't know Pete _hisacked_ the Gummi ship…" Goofy started to say.

"It's _hijacked_, Goofy! Get it right!" Donald shouted irritably.

"Right, he hijacked the Gummi ship. Maybe Sora doesn't know that―"

"Okay, fellas, we double checked everything and the keyhole's sealed, the people are safe, and we're good to go!" Mickey cheered, unaware of Donald's more than usual grumpiness.

"Oh, okay," Goofy said. "You sure you all are gonna be all right when we're gone?"

"Sure," Tifa said.

"There aren't anymore Heartless around. And if a single one shows up, we're all going to trash it before anymore come by! Right, you two?" Yuffie yelled enthusiastically while gripping down Cloud and Vincent who were standing next to her.

"Yeah. Trash it," Vincent mumbled in a monotone voice. "Certainly."

"We'll work on that attitude of yours," Yuffie snickered.

"Well, if you guys need anything," the king offered. "We'll be here to help."

All the warriors, Cloud, Yuffie, Tifa, Aerith, Cid, Barret, and Vincent all waved good-bye to the departing Mickey, Donald, and Goofy. After some hard work, their home world was again safe from Heartless threats.

"Yo," Barret grunted after the Celsius disappeared from sight. "What about those two goons in the black trench coats?"

"Whatever, man," Cid said, sighing and waving his hand in apathy. "If you see them, I won't stop you. Do whatever you want. I wanna go home."

Cloud nodded. He looked back up into the sky. For now, their story was over. Whatever happened from this point on would be dictated solely by the actions of the Keyblade-wielders. Before Mickey, Donald, and Goofy's departure, Cloud wished them the best of luck and to wish Sora and Kairi the same if they meet up with him again. Turning away with the others, he boarded the Shera, which took off into the horizon.


	35. The Mayor

**Chapter XXXV:**

Upon arriving in the central village, Sora and Kairi were greeted by deafening cheers and applause. Villagers were now out in the open, their eyes sparkling with relief and renewed hope. Many children were frolicking about and exploring around the village without restraints. For the most part, the majority of the villagers did what they had not done in a long time: soak in some sunrays. One man ran up to Sora and Kairi, grasping their hands and blessing them in a choked up voice.

"Bless you two kids, you've done what none of us attempted to do. You've saved us all!" he cried, frantically shaking both Sora and Kairi's hands. "No words of gratitude can express our thanks!"

"Umm…" Sora stammered, looking at Kairi for answers.

"Sora! Kairi!" a boy called from further back in the crowds. Tidus charged out and beamed. "You guys did it! Look, the sun's back out, the darkness is all gone, and everyone's happy again!"

Selphie and Wakka followed closely behind. Both of them were just as ecstatic as the rest of the villagers. The cheers continued to circulate through the crowds, overwhelming Sora and Kairi. Feeling a sense of unfairness, Sora couldn't take the unearned applause anymore.

"Look," he announced. "We shouldn't get the credit. Riku was the one that locked the islands' keyhole. He's the one that saved the islands. Kairi and I—we just got there a few moments after Riku did."

"Sora's right," Kairi added. "We didn't do anything, actually."

"Who cares?!" a random villager shouted out. "You kids actually gave us hope! With your special weapons and all—we started to believe that there really was a light at the end of the tunnel!"

Sora shifted his feet uncomfortably. "Uh, how do they know about the Keyblades and all?"

"Maybe your mom shared some of your stories…" Kairi wondered. She turned to face Tidus. "Or maybe you, Selphie, and Wakka decided to do some storytelling?"

"Well, mostly Selphie, you know how she is," Tidus said nonchalantly. "We told a couple of other kids and they probably told their parents, and you can guess what happens after that. Parents _always_ tell each other what their kids tell them."

"Is it going to cause any problems?" Selphie asked, walking up to Sora, Kairi, and Tidus.

Sora scratched his head. The cheering gradually died down a bit after a few minutes.

"Er, I don't think―"

"Hey, reconstruction starts after the mayor gives us his address," a woman said. She stepped out from the crowd to give Sora and Kairi the message. "It'll most likely be about plans on fixing up the islands and showing some gratitude towards you two."

"Mayor?" Sora said, looking at Kairi.

"Dad?" Kairi asked quietly, more to herself.

The woman gasped, a sign that Kairi was not quiet enough.

"Oh! _You're_ the mayor's daughter?" she inquired. "Gosh, he has been worried sick about you! For the past days, before the darkness came, there were search parties out looking for you… Kairi, right?"

"Um… yeah…" Kairi said slowly and timidly.

"Hi, I'm Tessa, one of your father's advisors. I was in charge of your search and rescue." she paused. "How unfortunate… I could not recognize you even after examining your portraits for such a long time. It seems like these past few days have just been too hard on everyone."

_Maybe because dad has been so busy that all he has are photos of me from two, three, or four years ago_, Kairi thought unhappily.

"Ah. Oh, well. At least you're back, I'm sure your father will be very relieved," Tessa sighed as she turned and went back into the crowd. "Notify him that you're here after he makes his address."

"What was that all about?" Sora asked Kairi after Tessa was out of earshot.

"Beats me. I think it would've been better if my dad doesn't know that I'm here," Kairi muttered. "Ugh, maybe it'll be even better if he doesn't find me… ever."

"What do you have against him?" Sora questioned.

"Okay, let's see, first of all, he doesn't even act like a father. Twenty-four hours a day he spends his time in the office," Kairi ranted. "When he does go home, I'm either in school or sleeping. I think the last time I talked to him was on the phone…_ last year_."

"A year without talking to your dad?" Sora asked, surprised.

"Hey, you went through more than a year without talking to your mom," Kairi countered with a laugh.

"Hmm," Sora droned. "Well, touché."

"Touché, Sora," Kairi said, giving Sora a victory smile.

Shortly, Kairi's father, the mayor, showed up on a podium before the giant crowd consisting of roughly over half the population of Destiny Islands. This central village was indeed a suitable spot for providing a temporary shelter for such a vast number of people, being that the location itself was as large as any common town. The mayor was somewhat stout, but was a great, robust man who stood slightly over six feet. A graying mustache and thin beard covered the lower portions of his face. His stature depicted his power, standing upright and with shoulders pushed back. Though the mayor appeared to be a formidable man, his eyes, as Sora—despite being stationed many yards away—could see fairly clearly, were wide and brimming with gentleness and bliss.

"Hey, Kairi. Your dad seems like a nice man," Sora said quietly.

"Yeah, he's a nice guy. But… he's… ugh—whatever," Kairi answered in a frustrated tone.

Tessa, along with another woman and three men stepped up onto the small, handcrafted stage and stood behind the mayor. Fixing the microphone, his suit, his tie, and virtually every small object around him, the mayor cleared his throat and ruffled through his pamphlet.

"Good afternoon, everyone. I would like to start off by congratulating all the residents here for their bravery during the past nine days. It may not have seemed to be a long time, but it definitely felt like a lifetime. The whole incident was uncalled for, a complete tragic shock that took many lives and ruined many others," he paused for a moment and looked out into the crowd. "Tropical islanders like us aren't too used to the darkness, are we? A sudden change in the wind patterns, the sky, and the natural sounds around us brought about distress for all of us.

"Ten years I've held the mayoral responsibilities and not once have I thought such times of crises would exist on the islands. And in these ten years I have never witnessed a miracle. But, everyone, surely, this is a miracle. There seemed to be no end to the darkness just the previous night. So dark that we had lost track when and what is day and night. And then this morning, I caught a few glimpses of the sun's precious rays shining through the pores of the dark clouds.

"How many of us honestly believe in fairy tales? Of once upon a time, of heroes and princesses, and of swords, magic, and happy endings? And when I heard the rumors of two sword-wielding teens running about trying to save worlds from the impending darkness, I did not know what to think. Kids saving worlds? I've not heard of such things. I have yet to meet kids like these for myself. Then again, in desperate times, people need hope, any hope, to force them to keep pushing forward and live…"

Kairi was trying to focus on other things while her father was speaking, though she heard every single word. She tried observing the crowd, such as counting how many people wore striped shirts, or how many girls wore skirts instead of dresses or pants, or which boy had the shortest hair. Nothing Kairi did could prevent her from hearing her father's voice, which she had not heard for a very long time. Even Sora, who usually did not uphold the greatest attention span, seemed to be listening intently.

"…I heard that these two kids are here in the crowd and… Please, I would be more than honored to meet you two soon. By saving the islands I would assume the tales were true. And maybe miracles do happen. We can only wish they happen more often throughout our lifetimes."

The mayor stepped off the podium and motioned one of his male advisors to step up. A dark-haired man came forward. He appeared lean, only a hair shorter than the mayor.

"If the two kids would like to come up," the man announced. "The mayor would like to speak with you in privacy."

One by one, the villagers turned their faces to Sora and Kairi, who were both far in the back of the crowd. Many of the ones who were closest to Sora and Kairi began to usher the two teens forward.

"Should we go…?" Sora asked Kairi. "We don't have to if you don't want to."

Kairi did not know what to do at this point. Would she refuse and embarrass Sora, herself, and her father in front of all the villagers? Would she go and reveal to her father that Sora and she were the "two sword-wielding kids?" There were two choices and, somewhat unfortunately, one answer…

"Kairi?"

"Yeah, let's go," Kairi finally decided._ No matter what, he's still dad to me_.

The time it took for Sora and Kairi to make their way through the crowd to the stage seemed to take hours. The closer they got, the more anxious Kairi became. The advisors were by the podium, waiting to escort Sora and Kairi to the mayor, who was residing in a tidied up hut.

There were murmurs and quiet whoops and cheers scattered all over the crowd as Sora and Kairi reached the stage. A couple of advisors then guided Sora and Kairi and departed with them off the stage.

"Your father will be very happy to see you," Tessa called out to Kairi.

Ignoring Tessa, Kairi turned her attention to Sora.

"I really want to get out of here as soon as possible," she said. "I don't like anything that's happening right now."

"Same… something does not feel right for some reason. It's too… _happy?_" Sora responded, not knowing how to accurately express himself. "I dunno, but I don't feel comfortable either."

"Especially that Tessa lady… she creeps me out," Kairi whispered. "She's too… yeah,_ happy_."

"And all these advisors," Sora whispered. "They seem―"

"Enough chitchat," one escort interrupted. "Go on in. The mayor's waiting."

Pulling aside a cloth that hung at the doorway of the hut, Sora entered first, with Kairi inching in closely behind him. The mayor sat behind a large mahogany desk, leaning back on his chair with his hands folded across his lap. Sora was cautious in entering. Despite the intense sunlight that now permeated through the windows and roofs of every hut, this hut they were in still felt eerily dark. It felt cold, gloomy, and hollow.

Kairi hid behind Sora and was out of sight.

"Hello—!" the mayor exclaimed, but his voice broke off. "S-Sora? _Sora?_ How? Y-you? You're one of the kids everyone's been talking about? I ca—"

He raised his head and peered around.

"…Is there someone behind your back?"

The mayor's eyes grew wider and wider as he caught the glimpse of Kairi's auburn hair over Sora's shoulder.

"K-Kairi…?" the mayor stuttered, his eyes beginning to moisten. "Is it―is it… r-really you?"

Kairi did not budge. Sora was confused. And Kairi's father was twisted with emotions.

_What the_, Sora wondered.

The atmosphere around the hut began to change again. From coldness and gloom now emerged warmth and bliss. The remnants of the darkness in the hut seemed to have vanished abruptly. Sora stood by, bewildered, with Kairi still standing her ground behind him.

"Kairi…" the mayor continued. "My only d-daughter, please come to me. I want to see you…"

"You didn't care. You've neglected me, dad," Kairi said quietly, her voice cold and unsympathetic, which shocked both Sora and the mayor.

"Kairi, don't… don't do this to me now. N-not now," the mayor stammered, still in shock.

Sora slightly leaned to his right, but Kairi simply slid further closely behind him.

"Kairi?" Sora whispered silently. "What's wrong?"

"Kairi…" the mayor was still moaning. The atmosphere changed again. Sora felt it as the mayor continued to groan in agony. The dark tensions returned.

"Kairi," Sora said a little more loudly than necessary. "What's going on? Just say something to your dad!"

"My daughter…" the mayor groaned one last time before Sora's attention was shifted from Kairi back to the girl's father.

Kairi screamed.


	36. Three Different Directions

**Chapter XXXVI:**

_Dad?_ Kairi could hear the word circulating wildly through her mind. _What has happened to him?_

"Kairi," the mayor moaned as purplish miasmas oozed across the floor of the hut, forcing Sora to back away a few feet. "Why don't you come closer…?"

"Dad, what's happened to you? Why are you like this?!" Kairi cried.

Sora was now fully aware of the situation. He grabbed Kairi's hand.

"He's lost his heart," Sora said, directly and truthfully. "He worried too much about you and dove into the darkness when you disappeared. We have to get away from here, Kairi!"

"No…" Kairi murmured. "How could he…?"

Now the haze completely filled the room, burning Sora and Kairi's eyes, forcing them to retreat out of the hut. Sora coughed and rubbed his eyes. Kairi, however, did not fare so well from the experience. Her eyes stung from the dark mists, but she kept a blank stare. How did everything turn upside down in a matter of minutes?

Familiar yellow eyes appeared at the doorway to the hut. Sora whipped out his Keyblade in response and assumed a battle stance. Kairi snapped out of her blankness and pulled Sora's arm.

"No, Sora, he's still my dad," Kairi mumbled, referring to the Neoshadow-shaped Heartless that crawled out of the hut. The crowd panicked and dispersed in every direction at the sight, leaving only Sora and Kairi out in the open.

"Yeah," Sora answered. "Maybe you can save him like you saved me before."

_It's definitely worth the try,_ Kairi thought helplessly.

But before she could get close enough to her father's Heartless to make contact, the Heartless sank into the ground and vanished. Kairi stamped the ground with one of her feet.

"Damn all of this!" she cursed in aggravation. She quickly faced Sora, her eyes burning with frustration and rage. She pulled out the Oathkeeper.

"It's my fault, isn't it?" she continued to say while staring at the Keyblade. "I should've been a normal girl and stayed home all this time. A girl like me shouldn't wield a weapon… especially a Keyblade. My dad wouldn't have been worried about me if I stayed. He wouldn't have lost his heart to the darkness…"

Kairi slammed the Oathkeeper on the ground and kicked it away. Sora said nothing and watched the Keyblade slide a few feet before it teleported back into Kairi's hands. Kairi was shocked, but her tears hid the fact.

"Of course you should've stayed here on the islands," Sora said as he walked closer to Kairi. "Didn't I already tell you that I would prefer that you stay here? But you_ did_ say to me and Riku that if he and I left the islands, we would take you with us. So, we did, didn't we?"

Kairi nodded and stared absently at her Keyblade.

"And the Keyblade… the Keyblade chooses its wielder," Sora continued. "And… well, it seems like this one works well with you, Kairi."

Kairi carelessly drilled a small hole in the dirt with the tip of her Keyblade.

"But," she said quickly. "It's still my fault my dad is… you know."

Sora sighed and gently sat Kairi down on the ground with him.

"No, it's not, Kairi. You gotta stop blaming yourself for things like this." he said. "Look, I blamed myself when _you _were lost before. But look how things turned out after that! It wasn't so bad. You were safe. I was safe. And Riku was safe. Everyone was fine, except for the bad guys. So what makes it so different this time? We'll save all the worlds that are in trouble and find your dad at the same time."

Sora's sudden optimism finally won Kairi over. The girl smiled and leaned her head on Sora's shoulder, her body relaxing a bit at last. The dark, purple smog from inside the mayor's hut had dissipated, but remnants of the darkness could be felt radiating from that location. It made Sora feel uneasy, so he bid Kairi to stand up with him.

"I wonder where all the villagers ran off to?" Kairi wondered. "And Selphie, Tidus, and Wakka… I wonder where they are?"

"We probably don't need to worry too much about them. Maybe they went home. Besides, there shouldn't be any Heartless around anymore," Sora responded.

"How about the Nobodies?" a voice resonated around Sora and Kairi. "Don't forget about them."

"What?" Sora gasped, summoning the Oblivion.

Two dark portals appeared: one behind Sora and one behind Kairi. Sora and Kairi backed up so they stood back-to-back against each other, each facing their respective dark portals. In a moment, Xymgrel appeared in front of Sora and Sarlix appeared in front of Kairi; the two Nobodies both had their weapons drawn.

"What do _you_ two want?" Sora muttered in a hostile tone. "Didn't you want us _out_ of your way, not _in_ your way?"

"I told you, we just want to figure out some answers—" Sarlix stated.

"To what?" Sora asked.

Xymgrel chucked the leather box containing Ansem's Reports at Sora.

"These," Xymgrel said. "They tell the story of your previous adventure, don't they? Well, of course they do, I assume you've read them. However, they're not finished. How did your journey turn out at the end?"

Sora was getting tired of telling stories over and over, but he felt that he had to in order to get the two Nobodies off his back.

"What do you want to know first?" Sora asked.

Sarlix and Xymgrel looked at each other and withdrew their weapons.

"Hmm," Sarlix hummed, tapping her chin with her index finger. "How about… whatever happened to Organization XIII? And of Roxas and Naminé?"

Sora heaved a long, deep sigh.

"Okay, the organization's gone. So if you two plan on finding the members or whatever, you're out of luck. As for Roxas and Naminé…" Sora glanced at Kairi. "Roxas and Naminé are in us."

"In you?" Sarlix repeated, raising her eyebrows. "Elaborate?"

"In us, as in literally,_ in us_," Kairi tried to clarify, pointing to her chest.

"Interesting," Sarlix remarked coolly. "And elaborate about the organization."

"Um, like I said, they're gone," Sora reiterated and chucked the Reports back at Xymgrel crossing his arms proudly afterwards. "Every member's gone. I beat 'em all. With the help of Donald and Goofy, of course, and Riku once."

"Donald and Goofy—the duck and the dog… thing, right?" Xymgrel mumbled. "And Riku's that friend of yours, huh?"

"Yeah, haven't you been paying attention to anything I've said before?" Sarlix grumbled, rolling her eyes at her companion. She let out an exasperated sigh. "Anyway, what about Ansem? Is this guy still around?"

Sora and Kairi both shook their heads. Sarlix nodded in acceptance of the fact.

"Well," Sarlix sighed again. "I guess that's it for the questions for now, but Xymgrel and I will definitely need some more facts sooner or later after we do our own investigations—"

"What investigations…?" Xymgrel muttered, to which Sarlix simply ignored.

"In the meantime, what can we do to show our gratitude?" Sarlix went on.

Kairi looked to Sora in question. Sora just shrugged.

"Maybe you can warp us off the islands," Kairi suggested. Sora stared at her.

"You trust them?" he whispered.

"Well, yeah… I mean, they haven't really hurt us have they?" Kairi whispered back.

"Well, Xymgrel just seems dumb, but Sarlix is_ really_ strong. Remember how she could just break my mind in half? I really don't want to feel that again."

"Well, maybe they really just want to find out about the nature of Nobodies. Maybe they don't want to fight us anymore."

"Alright, alright. Can you guys do that?" Sora asked, giving in at last. "Warp us off the island?"

Sarlix and Xymgrel nodded in unison. Instantly they tore open a dark corridor and stepped aside in gesture to welcome them to enter. Sora cautiously approached the portal with Kairi following closely behind as usual. They took a few steps in and disappeared with the opening of the portal shutting behind them, leaving Sarlix and Xymgrel by themselves.

"You think they trust us now?" Xymgrel speculated.

"We need their trust in order to get any information. It's the only way. For now, we have to play this game on their team. Which means, 'support them' and 'go against Maleficent and the Heartless.' That's it," Sarlix answered.

Xymgrel shrugged in agreement and summoned another dark portal. Sarlix and he entered it and departed on their own ways off the island.

Several miles in the air, the Celsius came rocketing through the atmosphere above Destiny Islands. Mickey, Donald, and Goofy were in the cockpit, with Mickey piloting and Donald and Goofy pasting their faces on the windows on the lookout for signs of Sora and Kairi. After soaring above the land and orbiting around the islands for nearly an hour of fruitless searching, Mickey began to feel discouraged while Donald began to grow seriously impatient.

"Gee, fellas, I don't think they're here anymore," Mickey said slowly.

"Bah! We used to look for _you_, King Mickey! Now I can't believe we're stuck looking for Sora of all people!" Donald began to complain. "And Kairi! When we traveled with Sora we're _always_ looking for Kairi! If those two aren't with each other… if they're split up in two different places—Wak! I'll laugh if I don't go crazy soon!"

"Don't worry, Donald," said Mickey. "I'm sure they're sticking to their mission and went off to a different world… although I don't know how they could do that if Pete stole their Gummi ship, hmm…"

"Well, then let's go look for 'em!" Goofy suggested. "We can save worlds at the same time! Like Donald, me, and Sora did before! We saved worlds while searchin' for you, Riku, and Kairi!"

"Yeah. Good idea, Goofy. Let's not waste anymore time and get a move on, fellas!" Mickey exclaimed.

Without wasting another moment, the Celsius spun around and blasted back into the blue sky.


	37. Port Royal

**Chapter XXXVII:**

A violent toss and a rough shake threw Sora and Kairi out of their portal and onto what felt like a roof. Wincing and rubbing their sore backs, the two Keyblade-wielders slowly sat up and examined their surroundings. It was mid-afternoon, with the sun glowing in the horizon. It was evident that they were still near water as the sea breeze continued to flow around them.

"Where are we?" Kairi asked.

Again Sora gazed around their surroundings, trying to identify any clues that may be used to provide answers. There was not much to be seen though, just planks and bricks and random half-lit torches and… And then Sora noticed some other more distinct objects.

There were cannons and piers with antique ships all docked side by side with each other. The more Sora thought about it, the more he was convinced of where Kairi and he were transported to Port Royal, the world of pirates. He spent his last adventure in Port Royal at night, hence why he did not recognize the region in daylight.

If they were in Port Royal, Sora pondered whether Kairi and he should scout for wandering Heartless. Perhaps they could also visit the notorious Captain Jack Sparrow and the Black Pearl crew. There were so many things they could do in Port Royal! Sora showed signs of excitement, immediately picked up by Kairi.

"Oh, yeah," Sora said suddenly, remembering Kairi's question. "I think―I'm pretty confident that we're in Port Royal. It's a docking area for ships and such. But the cool thing is… there are pirates here!"

"Pirates?" Kairi repeated in question. "You mean, _pirates_ pirates? Like the ones you hear of in wild sea stories?"

"Yup, real pirates!" Sora said excitedly. "I've been here before on my last adventure, so I know."

"Ooh," Kairi smirked. She felt a shiver tingling up her back. "That_ is_ exciting."

"Come on!" Sora beckoned enthusiastically. "I know one of the pirate captains. His name's Jack. He's a pretty weird guy, though, but he won't hurt anyone."

Kairi nodded as both Sora and she leapt down from the roof of the town house they fell on. Running down the familiar rampart, Sora led Kairi to the harbor that resided between their original landing spot and the town. However, while running to the dock, Sora realized finding the captain would not be as easy as he imagined. Apparently, the Black Pearl had not stayed at the harbor like it did on his last adventure. Sora thought of something else instead of searching for the pirate captain. Maybe Kairi and he could visit Will Turner and Elizabeth Swann instead…

"Hmm, I don't think Jack expected us to visit. Maybe we can visit someone else instead," Sora suggested.

_But I wanna see a real pirate!_ Kairi wanted to say as felt her sense of adventure rising. "But as long as we get to see some pirates later on, okay?"

"Alright. There's this guy named Will Turner and this lady named Elizabeth, I dunno, I think she's his girlfriend or something. But I met them the last time I was here, so I think it'll be nice if we visit them," said Sora.

"Okay," Kairi said. "Let's go see them then."

_Yeah, but where…?_ Sora asked himself. He never asked Will or Elizabeth of their homes or wherever they normally resided. _I wonder if—_

A platoon of soldiers marching across the harbor into the rampart interrupted Sora's train of thought. All of them forcefully gripped their rifles and seemed awkwardly stiff and resolute. Curious, Sora decided to follow them, compelling Kairi to tail behind. The platoon seemed to have around forty of so soldiers, but none of them seemed to notice Sora and Kairi quietly tagging along behind them. The soldiers continued to march around the rampart and halted at the entrance to the town until the leader, a short man with a white powdered wig, waved them in. The leader fashionable clothes symbolized nobility; and perhaps he was a lord. Sora, completely by reflex, pulled Kairi into the shadows when he thought the nobleman looked in their direction.

In another moment, when the coast was clear, Sora silently pursued the soldiers into the town, with Kairi close by him. She appeared slightly worried, the circumstances adding a nervous expression to her face. On the other hand, Sora felt more curious than ever. But as soon as Kairi and he turned around the corner and entered the town, Sora only experienced distress and shock. The platoon of soldiers surrounded a defenseless couple that Sora instantly recognized. Will was in manacles and a nearby Elizabeth appeared rattled and bewildered.

"Will! Elizabeth—" he shouted before someone covered his mouth.

"Sora!" Kairi shushed him, but it was too late.

Half the platoon closest to Sora and Kairi aimed their rifles at the two teens. The other half remained locked onto Will and Elizabeth.

"Why is this happening?" Elizabeth protested.

"Sora?" Will shouted over the heads of the soldiers. "Is that you over there?"

"Yeah," Sora greeted with his naïve smile. "So, hey, everyone."

The leader of the soldiers shook his head and turned to face Will.

"I have the warrant for the arrest of one William Turner…" the lord began. Elizabeth muttered something that quickly directed the rifles towards her. "…Arrest her too."

"No!" Will shouted.

"What charges?!" Elizabeth cried out. "What… are the charges?"

"Yeah!" Sora yelled from the opposite side. "What charges?"

"You, boy," the lord called, glancing over his shoulder. "I am Lord Cutler Beckett, and you _will_ treat me with more respect than you have so _clearly_ shown already."

Lord Beckett faced Will and Elizabeth again and resumed talking.

"Perhaps you remember a certain pirate named Jack Sparrow―"

"_Captain_ Jack Sparrow," Sora and Elizabeth both interjected.

Beckett swung around and strolled over to Sora.

"Hmm, _Captain_ Jack Sparrow. Yes, I thought you might," he said on his way over to Sora. He leveled his face with the Keyblade master and squinted his eyes. "And who might you be, boy?"

"That would be Sora," Will spoke up. "You might not want to mess around with him."

"Nonsense," Lord Beckett chuckled, waving off Will's words. "What could a measly boy and his lady friend possibly do?"

"This!" Sora shouted as he summoned his Keyblade and began bashing the soldiers around him. The sudden action triggered Kairi to do the same as she joined Sora in knocking over Beckett's soldiers in every direction. The lord, shocked, but resolute, stood his ground. The few soldiers out of the platoon that remained on their feet were either leaning against the walls or hunched over lopsided. Kairi ran to Elizabeth and Will and cut off the manacles that cuffed their wrists. Lord Beckett saw this, but did not stop Kairi.

"How I see this fit," Beckett sneered quietly at Sora and then turned to the freed Will Turner and Elizabeth Swann. "Mr. Turner, perhaps you can act as our agent in a business transaction with our mutual friend: Captain Sparrow—"

"More acquaintance than friend…" Will muttered.

"By your efforts, Jack Sparrow was set free," the lord continued. "I would like you to go to him and recover a certain property in his possession."

"The Black Pearl?" Sora and Will asked at the same time.

"The Black Pearl?" Beckett repeated. Evidently the three men were not on the same page. Neither did Kairi know, but she remained silent.

"The property you want that he possesses," Will explained.

"A ship? Hardly," Beckett scoffed. "The item in question's considerably smaller and far more valuable. Something Sparrow keeps on his person at all times. A compass. Ah, you know it. Bring back that compass, or there's no deal. Either face imprisonment and death or find this compass and be rewarded with freedom!"

Now that Sora thought about it, he did recall seeing Jack fiddling with a small object every once in a while, he just did not know what it was. It was probably the compass.

"I have warrants for your arrests, your imprisonment, and your eventual executions, Mr. Turner and Ms. Swann. What'll it be?" Lord Beckett asked, almost menacingly.

Will thought a moment, and finally agreed.

"I will go and find Jack―"

"And Ms. Swann will stay here," Beckett ordered as several soldiers seized Elizabeth. Will immediately made a move to rush over to Elizabeth but was blocked off by a couple of other soldiers. "No, Mr. Turner, I cannot possibly allow _both_ of my prisoners to run off together. I must have an additional factor in forcing you to do your job. Retrieve the compass! And Ms. Swann will be guaranteed her freedom in one piece."

"I swear, if you dare touch her, you will beg for death," Will snarled.

"I'm afraid I am the one in control of this situation, Mr. Turner. Nobility reigns," Lord Beckett declared as he waved his soldiers away, who took Elizabeth with them. Will took a step forward, but reluctantly held back as Beckett and his soldiers departed.

"Find Sparrow and his compass, Turner!" Beckett's voice sounded in the air.

Will shook his head and kicked the sand in blind fury.

"Mr. Turner?" Kairi asked quietly. "Sora and I will help if you want…"

"Please, young lady, call me Will. And your name is?" Will asked, still shaking his head.

"Kairi."

"Kairi. Hmm. Well, Kairi, I will be glad to have yours and Sora's help," said Will. He paused, turned to Sora, and, quite quickly, changed his tone. "And it's been a long time, Sora! What brings you back to Port Royal?"

"We kinda landed here by accident. And it's a long story," Sora said.

"Plenty of time for stories," Will chuckled. "Come on, you two, we will take one of the boats on at the harbor."

* * *

Many miles off past the seas, on Isla de Muerta, a familiar figure appeared in the Moonlight Nook. Again blindfolded and wielding his Way to the Dawn, Riku sought out the keyhole to this world. But after hours of ineffective searching, he began to feel discouraged.

_Where was the keyhole?_ Riku kept wondering. Once in a while, one or two Heartless would rise out of the ground, but posed no significant threat at all. _Maybe these are just the leftovers from when Sora was here before. Or maybe he had already stopped here before I did._

Deciding to leave Isla de Muerta, Riku summoned a dark portal and decided to investigate at another location. If the keyhole was neither at the port, nor the graveyard of ships, nor here, on Isla de Muerta, perhaps the keyhole could be at an unexplored territory. Riku considered the possibility and stepped into his portal.


	38. A Conversation With William Turner

**Chapter XXXVIII:**

Sora was surprised with Will Turner's strength and endurance as the man sailed the tiny ship in which they were in for over ten hours. Sora and Kairi had slept soundly on the trip, but Will had not. He was more focused on finding Jack and the compass in order to free Elizabeth from Bennett's custody. Sora and Kairi slept in the bunkers below the ship's deck, while Will stayed up to steer the ship throughout the night. Sora spent the morning leaning by the railings on the side of the ship, watching the sunrise while Will continued to steer.

"Sora," Will called from the bow of the ship. "What are you doing up so early?"

Sora strolled over to Will and resumed leaning on the railings.

"I'm not a big fan of sleeping nowadays," he said.

"Something troublin' you?" Will inquired.

_Plenty of stuff on my mind_, Sora told himself. But he said, "Nah. I'm okay."

"Ah," Will breathed in and out the morning air. "Don't forget, I was a young man like you years back, Sora."

"You're not that old, Will," Sora laughed. "You're talking like you're an _old_ man."

"All right, then. I was a _younger_ man like you years back," Will adjusted his words and chuckled. "Anyway, is this about that girlfriend of yours down in the bunks?"

"She's not my girlfriend!" Sora retorted as he felt his face redden. "Just a friend as of now."

"As of now?" Will repeated and chuckled some more. "I see—"

"No, wait!" Sora stammered. "I… don't know what I'm saying."

"Aye," Will said. "I did not know either when I first met Elizabeth."

"How'd you meet her?" Sora asked curiously.

"That, Sora, is a long story," Will answered.

"You kinda owe me one since I told you mine last night," Sora countered humorously. Indeed Sora told Will a _long_ story last night, starting from when he left Port Royal the first time up to the current point where he was in now.

"True, all right, I will give you a synopsis then," said Will.

_[Rash noises screeched, clashed, and ripped through the misty air of the early morning. On the starboard side of the ship, a young boy could be seen inching cautiously behind the fighting. Young Will panicked, as he tried to find some cover, or at least some decent place to hide in. However, the majority of the pirate ship he was on was in ruins. His father was fighting, shooting, swashbuckling with other pirates. It was a fierce sight that confused Will.  
All of a sudden, an elbow smacked him over the wooden railings that he was inching along on, knocking planks, bricks, along with him down into the blue sea. "Will!" the young boy could hear his father shouting from above. The waves splashed around him, dragging him out to sea.  
An unknown amount of time passed before young Will found himself awake on what seemed like the poop deck of a ship. Again there were voices everywhere around him. Slipping in and out of consciousness, Will tried to raise his head and analyze his surroundings. Instead, he opened his eyes to a young girl about his age knelt down by him. She held his hand.  
"My name is Elizabeth Swann," she said.  
"Will Turner," young Will responded.  
"I'm watching over you, Will," said the young Elizabeth.  
Young Will clutched Elizabeth's hand, but slipped back into blackness before he could ask any questions.]_

"That's some way to meet someone," Sora remarked. "Me meeting Kairi was nowhere as exciting as that."

"How did you two meet?" Will asked. Since there was nothing else to do early in the morning, he might as well carry on with the conversation. "Unless you want to keep that private."

Sora felt himself turn red yet again.

"Eh, it wasn't anything. My friend Riku and I lived on Destiny Islands all our lives. And when we were little, all of a sudden, this girl our age moves almost right next door to us…" he recalled. "And that's when I became friends with Kairi."

"Hmm," Will nodded. "Sometimes I wish I could have lived an easy, peaceful childhood like you did, Sora."

"It can get boring," Sora added. "I mean, there's not much to do but go to school and sleep on the beach, relaxing with friends."

"Relaxing with friends, huh," Will repeated quietly. "I don't remember a time when I relaxed with friends."

"What about Elizabeth?" Sora asked.

"What about her?" Will asked in return, raising an eyebrow.

"Didn't you ever hang around with her when you two were little? You know, after you two met?"

"Quite naïve, Sora!" Will laughed. "A life in Port Royal is not easy. As that horrible Lord Beckett said before, 'nobility reigns.' And it did and still does, sadly. Elizabeth was of nobility, her father a governor, while I was a lowly working boy. I spent my childhood as an apprentice craftsman, making swords, daggers, and armory."

"That's messed up," Sora muttered. For some reason, that story struck Sora with intensity. "I was a normal boy, too. Kairi, I could say, was of nobility too, I guess."

"Really?" Will wondered. "That's interesting, how so?"

"Her dad was the mayor. Kind of like Elizabeth, right? Her dad's the governor, and Kairi's dad's the mayor," Sora said animatedly.

"Quite interesting," Will chuckled. "Though, lucky for you, you had the opportunity to make friends with Kairi early on in your childhood. I could never get close to Elizabeth. The only times I could was when I delivered packages to the Swann residence… mostly to Elizabeth's father. I was limited to calling Elizabeth, 'Miss Swann,' throughout the early years."

"If I had to call Kairi, 'miss,' I don't think I could do it," Sora joked. "What do you and Elizabeth do now?"

"We're getting married," Will said. "Well, we were about to, until Beckett showed up with his loony marines."

"Great timing, huh?" Sora joked again.

"Agreed," said Will. A short silence followed before Will spoke again. "How about you and Kairi? Are you two close enough to get married in the future?"

_Why is he talking to me about marriage?_ Sora heard himself mentally yelling. He again felt his face turn red. _For goodness' sake, I'm barely sixteen!_

"It's alright, Sora," Will said. "I was only kidding with you. I don't think I thought about marriage until… well, to think about it, not until recently maybe."

_Close call_, Sora thought. _Phew._

"You know, I keep hearing my name for some reason," a voice called out nearby.

Kairi stepped out from the bunks below the ship and looked around the deck. She then fully came out and turned to the bow, where Sora stood stiffly and Will was snickering for some reason unknown to her.

"Are you two talking about me while I was asleep?" Kairi scolded.

"Not at all," Will said. "We were just having a good chat, Sora and I."

"Oh," Kairi said. Truthfully, she did not care whether or not they were talking about her or not. She learned not to care if people talked behind her back. It was the only effective way for any young person to get through high school, as Selphie and she theorized months before.

Kairi strolled over to the bow where Sora and Will were and settled down by the railings. She noticed that Sora seemed outrageously shy, his face noticeably red.

"Now I'm really curious!" she exclaimed. "What were you two talking about, for real?"

Will smiled and Sora shook his head rapidly.

"Ah, you've bested me. I'll tell you then. First, Sora asked me how Elizabeth and I met, so it was only fair I ask Sora how you and he met," Will explained. "Then I might have gotten carried away and made him shy of you now. My apologies, Kairi."

"Oh, no, that's okay, Will," Kairi said amusedly. "So, Sora—"

"Ahh, I'm… I'm okay, r-really, Kairi!" Sora sputtered hurriedly.

"Alright, Sora," Kairi giggled.

"You've picked a good time to wake up, Kairi. We've reached an island. We'll search here for Jack," Will said, yanking the steering wheel of the ship, sliding it sideways onto the beach.

Sora and Kairi leaned a bit over the railing to get a better view of the island. It was lusciously green, with far more trees than that of Destiny Islands. As a matter of fact, the entire island seemed to be just a few feet of shoreline and just… trees. Sora began to feel very unenthusiastic in searching for Jack Sparrow in such a dense forest. Nonetheless, Will dropped the anchor and kicked down a wooden ramp for descent.

"Come along, you two," he called. "You've offered your help, am I correct?"

Sora and Kairi nodded and trotted down the ramp onto the island.


	39. Dual Pursuits

**Chapter XXXIX:**

"Jack! Jack Sparrow!" Will shouted at the top of his lungs. "Anybody?"

Sora and Kairi wordlessly followed Will into the forest on the strange island. Unlike Destiny Islands, the vegetation on this island was much more evenly spread out, giving travelers like Sora, Kairi, and Will some walking space. Still, the group was in a palm jungle that never seemed to end. In every direction they looked—aside from looking back towards the shoreline—it was more trees and more shrubs. Then something caught Will's eyes.

"Cotton's parrot!" he exclaimed.

"Who?" Sora and Kairi asked together.

"Rawk!" the blue-gold macaw squawked. "Don't eat me! No! Don't eat me! Rakk!"

The bird flew away, leaving Sora, Kairi, and Will in a confused state.

"I don't like this place at all…" Kairi grumbled.

"Will, what makes you think Jack is here at all?" Sora inquired.

"I have a hunch—"

"Will! Look out!" Sora yelled.

Sora saw eyes appear behind Will on a nearby palm tree. The ambush surely caught the group by surprise. In response, Will leapt into the air, flailing his rapier, Kairi shrieked and also yanked out her Keyblade, and Sora fumbled with his Keyblade spastically before realizing the group was under attack. A ring of native tribesmen appeared out of the surrounding trees and shrubbery, evidently camouflaged just a few moments prior to the assault. Before Sora, Kairi, or Will could properly react and defend themselves, a snare netted the entire group and dangled them above the ground.

Only their arms hung outside the net, so the only choice Sora, Kairi, and Will had were to blindly swing their weapons to keep the natives at bay.

"Hah! Come on! Let's go! Yah! Who wants it?!" Will grunted as he shook the entire snare with his struggling. "I could do this all day! Hah! Y—"

"Will!" Sora and Kairi shouted.

One of the tribesmen shot a tranquilizing dart at Will to silence the swordsman. The dart struck Will's neck, which stunned him and made him hang loose in a matter of seconds.

"Now you're all gonna get it!" Sora growled. "Come closer so I can hit you—"

In a split second, another dart was fired, this time striking Sora instead. Just like what happened to Will, Sora began to feel groggy and soon slipped into nothingness. Before Kairi could gripe, a dart also struck her and put her into a comatose state.

* * *

"Which way should we go?" Donald asked.

The Celsius was at an intergalactic fork, splitting into two different routes. One had to be taken in order to traverse to a new world. If the Gummi ship was to fly on a different path instead of the paths linked by the fork, the crew could drift for days without finding a world to land on, not to mention the possibility of encountering unknown dangers.

"Hmm. That way," Mickey pointed to the left. "Don't ask me, fellas, but I just think that's where we want to go."

"As you wish, your Majesty!" Donald quacked, setting the coordinates for further down the path. Normally, Mickey was the one piloting the ship, but circumstances called for him to plan and rethink his strategies in achieving victory in this battle against the Heartless and the Nobodies. Instead, Donald was put in charge of piloting while Goofy sat nearby manning the weapons systems.

"Ya know, I wonder how everyone's doin' right now. Like Sora and Kairi, Riku, wherever he is, Leon, and everyone else," Goofy wondered out loud.

Donald nodded with unusual empathy. Sure, he thought the same time to time. Due to traveling with Sora for over a year, it was hard not to grow proud and fond of the young Keyblade master. Now Donald wondered how the Keyblade master was faring. Without his constant support magic, Donald wondered how Sora could manage alone. He assumed Kairi did not know the art of magic, therefore unable to provide Sora any further support besides having two additional arms for swinging a sword.

"We gotta find Sora to see how he's doing," Donald told the king.

"I'm sure he's fine, Donald," Mickey reassured him. "He's the chosen one remember?"

"Aw, phooey. _Chosen one, shmosen one_," the duck muttered.

"Hey, Donald, I'm getting a blooping thingie on this screen!" Goofy reported.

"The radar, Goofy?" Donald asked, exasperated.

"I think so," Goofy replied. Mickey stepped forward up between Donald and Goofy. "And look! It's comin' in fast!"

Mickey frowned as he glared up above the ship's cockpit and witnessed a familiar ship bypass overhead.

"Donald! Turn around! Now!" Mickey ordered.

Twitching and quacking wildly, Donald wrenched the controls and somersaulted the Celsius, then accelerating the ship at the target further ahead. Goofy carefully stood by, ready with the weapons system, while Mickey stood up in front of the cockpit, trying to get a closer look at the target.

"Gawrsh, it's the Highwind!" Goofy exclaimed. "It must be Pete in there!"

"Pete?" Mickey asked. "Why would you say Pete's in there?"

"Oh, right, we forgot to tell ya. Pete stole the Gummi ship Sora was flyin' in! It must be him down there," Goofy clarified.

"Well, then," Mickey said quietly. "Charge forward, Donald!"

"Way ahead of you, your Majesty!" Donald quacked.

* * *

When Sora woke up he was feeling horribly dizzy and nauseous. He feebly tilted his head to one side and saw Kairi, tied upside down to a pole, still with her eyes half-closed. Sora realized then he was upside down, but he was feeling too sick to struggle. He turned his head to the other side and saw Will, also bound. All three of them were being carried upside down on a wooden pole, their hands and feet trapped by tight ropes that burned into their wrists and ankles.

"Ugh, what in…?" Will groaned, finally waking up.

"Hey, Will, what just happened…?" Sora asked quietly. He looked around to check if any of the tribesmen carrying the others and him were listening.

"They must've—" Will began to say. He stretched and cracked his neck. "Ow. They must've… subdued us with something."

"Sora," Kairi moaned, waking up. "Where… are we? Ouch, and why are we all—"

She glared upwards at the tattooed natives and sighed.

"_Eeki-tan koh_," one of the tribesmen said. Two other natives untied Kairi and dropped her to the ground. "_Jee-sapa_."

"Huh?" Kairi groaned, as she rubbed her back from the fall. The rest of the natives continued to carry Sora and Will away towards what seemed to be the main tribal village.

_Why'd they release me?_

"Kairi! Good! Get us loose!" Will called out.

Kairi was about to reach for the bindings, but was seized by a native. She was then shoved forward to march with the rest towards the village.

"Hey, don't touch her!" Sora protested.

"Try not to provoke them, Sora," Will suggested. "We're in bad shape already."

They entered the village, which was filled with the sounds of war drums, chants, and tribal music. Had it not been for the painful, upside down posture he was in, Sora would have been enchanted by the atmosphere. But all he felt at the moment was frustration and anger. There was no bright side to the situation, no matter how hard Sora tried to think of one.

Sora, Kairi, and Will were brought to the center of the village, where many natives stood waiting by a great bonfire-like flame. The majority of the natives were chanting in their language, excited and enthusiastic. Sora noticed Will staring at a figure, possibly the chief of the village, residing on the throne in front of the fire, under the shade of a few palm leaves. As they were brought closer and closer to the center, Sora noticed Will's eyes grow larger and larger. Analyzing the "chief," Sora also felt his eyes bulge. He could recognize that face anywhere.

"Jack! Jack, it's me! Will Turner!" Will shouted over the increasingly raucous chanting. "Tell 'em to let us down!"

"Captain Jack! It's Sora! Help us out of here!" Sora shouted.

The pirate captain disguised as a native strolled down from his royal armchair. His eyes were wide open—no, they were closed, but the eyelids were painted to the looks of normal, opened eyes. Whenever the pirate blinked, it looked like as if his eyes flipped up and down, never truly closing. Jack also wore a tall, peculiarly designed red hat, with seemingly no consistent pattern or symmetry.

"_That's_ the pirate captain? Jack Sparrow?" Kairi asked Sora. "He's really… weird?"

"Yes, he is," Will answered for Sora. They all focused their eyes on Jack, who waddled awkwardly over to the three. The captain examined both Sora and Will in silence, then turned to Kairi, whom he did not recognize.

"Piki-piki, snip-snip," Jack blathered.

"_Snip-snip!_" the crowd of natives shouted in repetition.

"Lam… say-say… eunuchy―" Jack mumbled while staring into Kairi's face with his fake, painted eyes. The looks sent a terrible shiver up Kairi's back.

"_Ah… eunuchy!_" the crowd repeated.

"Cut the gibberish, captain!" Sora shouted. "Tell these people to let us go!"

Jack raised his eyebrow at Sora then waved his hand at him, apparently not seeming to care.

"Jack! The compass! That's all I need… Elizabeth is in danger. We were arrested for trying to help _you_. She faces the gallows!" Will cried out when he noticed Jack turning his back on them.

"Say-say lam shoop-shoop sha smalay-lama shoo-koo. Savvy? Ball licky-licky," Jack said in total nonsense.

He turned around to face Sora, Kairi, and Will again, his eyes actually open.

"_Ball licky-licky!_" the crowd chanted. The drums in the background seemed to be played louder and louder. "_Ball licky-lick! Ball licky-licky! Ball licky-licky!_"

The drums noise grew to preposterous levels and Sora had to squint to try to resist the ear-rattling noise. The natives, on the other hand, were closing in on Sora, Kairi, and Will. In a moment, the pirate captain hopped on one foot out of the enveloping crowd up to the three.

"Save me," he whispered.

"Jack, what did you tell them? No!" Will roared as the natives picked up the poles that hung Sora and him, they pulled and pushed the struggling Kairi the same way. "What about Elizabeth? _Jack…!_"

* * *

Mickey stood at the front of the Celsius' cockpit, with his face only about two inches away from the glass. Donald tried to use the transmission system to make contact with Pete in the stolen Highwind. But in fury from the last contact, it was none other than Donald who smashed the transmission button.

Closing in on the Highwind, the Celsius brushed up to the right side of the stolen ship. The oblivious Pete glanced out the cockpit and was then caught by surprise, nearly losing control of the Gummi ship, though he eventually managed successfully. From Pete's perspective, he could see Mickey clenching his fist, his mouth wildly moving; apparently he was shouting something to him. Pete scratched his head and shrugged before rocketing forward in an attempt to lose his pursuers.

Pete did not get far before he heard alarms blaring.

"What is with this ship?! Always with the infernal racket!" he complained.

He heard an explosion behind him that shook the ship. The shaking settled after a few seconds, but was followed by an even more deafening explosion that shook the ship even more violently.

From the Celsius' crew's point of view, under the cockpit, missiles and lasers were periodically fired, sometimes erratically and rapidly, sometimes in powerful, synchronized series. The majority of the shots made contact with the Highwind in some way or another.

"Don't go overboard, Goofy," Mickey warned. "You don't want to blow the ship up. We still might need it in the future."

"Gotcha, King Mickey," Goofy replied, easing up on the weapons system.

Several meters ahead, Pete was sweating profusely.

_Doh, why did I have to bump into them?_ he griped. _ Out of all people, doh…_

Desperate to find some sort of escape from the speedy Celsius, Pete began to mash random buttons, _any_ button he could get his hands on. He pulled levers, yanked switches, and smashed buttons, which in the process fired multiple lasers, missiles, and numerous other projectiles all over the void.

"What does he think he's doing?!" Donald screeched. "The Gummi ship is _not_ a toy!"

"Should we shoot at him again, your Majesty? Hyuck!" Goofy chuckled. "If he gets lucky, he might hit us!"

"Don't worry about it," said Mickey. "I doubt Pete will—"

"Wak!" Donald quacked.

The Highwind began to emit a purplish glow before abruptly zipping out of sight, leaving Mickey, Donald, and Goofy completely dumbfounded.

"Goofy!" Donald screeched madly again. "You didn't take out the Warp Gummi?!"

"Er, I thought Chip and Dale took care of that!" Goofy explained.

Mickey thumped his head against the glass of the cockpit and inhaled a long, deep breath.

"Aw, oh, well," he exhaled. "We'll find him again soon, I'll bet. He won't be goin' anywhere if he doesn't know how to land a ship… or find a world, first of all, to land on."

"Ohh…" Donald groaned. "Now what?"

"Well, we turn around and go back on our path," Mickey stated. "No time to lose, fellas!"

"Right," said Donald and Goofy.

The Celsius made a sharp turn backwards and boosted away back on the path to its original set coordinates, whatever world that may be…

* * *

"What! Get your hands off of us, you madmen!" Will protested as Sora, Kairi, and he were pushed and shoved across a wooden bridge.

They were finally freed from the painful bindings to the wooden poles, but now they faced aggressive pushes and shoves on their backs and sides. Their hands were still tied, thus the three could not draw their weapons.

Soon, the group came up to two spherical cages, made from intricately knitted ropes as thick as tree branches that were decorated with bones vaguely resembling those of humans. Inside were about half a dozen Black Pearl crewmembers in each cage. Sora, Kairi, and Will were crammed into one cage with five pirates, Joshamee Gibbs, Cotton, Marty, and two other unfamiliar crewmembers.

"Umm, ahoy, crew of the Black Pearl?" Will greeted awkwardly.

"Heh, ahoy there, Turner is it not?" Gibbs, a knowledgeable-looking, stubby man with a heavy, graying beard. "Seems like you and your, er… friends have made contact with the Pelegostos."

"Pelegostos?" Sora asked. "The natives?"

"Aye, lad," answered Gibbs.

"Your captain, Jack Sparrow," Will said. "Why would he do this to us? If Jack is their chief?"

"Aye, the Pelegostos made Jack their chief. But he only remains chief as long as he _acts_ like a chief," said Gibbs.

"Wait," Kairi interrupted, suddenly interested in the subject. "So that means Jack is basically like a prisoner. A prisoner as much as the rest of us here?"

"Worse, lass," Gibbs said slowly and quietly. "See, the Pelegostos believe that Jack is a god in human form, and they intend to do him the honor of releasing him from his fleshy prison. They'll roast him and _eat_ him. This is Cannibal Island we are on!"

"Cannibal Island?" Sora repeated. "Ugh, these people _eat_ other people?'

"If that's what the word 'cannibal' means, then aye," Gibbs said solemnly.

"Well, then we can't just sit here, can we?" Will declared. "Come on, we have to find some way out of here."

"How d'you think we do that?" Marty, a midget bald pirate asked.

Will looked at Sora, both of them thinking of the same thing. "Swing, and climb!" Will declared to the pirates. "Come on, all of you. We swing together as hard as we could over to that side of the mountain."

The pirates glanced doubtfully at one another, but shrugged. Whatever works, they thought. At once, they all pushed forward and backwards, synchronized and orderly. With each passing swing, the spherical cages gained momentum, coming a few feet closer to the opposite mountain's side. As soon as the cages reached the hard rocks, Gibbs shouted.

"Put your legs through! Start to climb! Argh!"

"Come on men!" Will yelled. "It'll take all of us!"

"Ah—" a pirate called out.

There was a Pelegostos native only a few yards away from them, higher up on the wooden bridge. The native eyed the moving cages curiously before realizing what was happening. Immediately, he let out a battle cry, running back into the forest back to the village.

"Move! Move!" Sora yelled. "Before they all come back!"

Panic was aroused as the pirates all struggled to try to speed up the climbing process. Sora could feel himself getting crushed by two bulky pirates, both trying to pitch in their assistance. Kairi, on the other hand, had her face smacked under an armpit, making her woozy and horribly irritated. Her feet could barely touch the mountain since she was literally uplifted by the men around her.

_Ugh_, Kairi thought. _Right now, this is seriously no place for me! I'll admit that…_

After climbing over the ledge and finally onto a flat surface, it was phase two for the prisoners.

"Find rocks, or anything, break loose these ropes," Will ordered. "What, none of you have any weapons?"

"The Pelegostos cleaned us of all weaponry before they imprisoned us," Gibbs explained quickly. "They're smart like that, in a way."

"Well, then, rocks will have to do—"

Will was interrupted by the sounds of drums and chanting in the background. Panic was again stimulated within the cage.

"Roll the cage!" Will yelled.

"Are you insane?!" Kairi shrieked, but the cage was already tumbling down a hill before anyone could hear of her objection.

Crashing and crashing, the cage rolled all the way into a river-chasm, where it shattered on some rocks. Still, everything was in sheet chaos as the group heard the Pelegostos' chanting closing in.

"This way, lads… and lass!" Gibbs shouted out and pointed over to dry land.

Sora grabbed Kairi's hand and helped her out of the shattered cage. Sora was used to the nonstop running and turmoil, but Kairi was not. She clenched tightly onto Sora's hand and followed behind him, trying her best not to trip over the wet rocks. Daggers, arrows, and spears were thrown and fired at the escapees, again arousing more panic. The group ran for their lives, onto the beach to a familiar ship docked close to the shorelines. The Black Pearl.

"Look, Kairi! It's the Black Pearl," Sora reported.

"That's a… really big ship," Kairi responded, panting furiously. "Jack is… the ship's captain…?"

"Yeah, c'mon!"

The pirates slowed their paces down as they approached the Black Pearl. Turning around, they noticed the Pelegostos had stopped pursuing them. Gibbs scratched his bald scalp.

"Ah, how fortunate for us all, they've gone!" he cheered. "Now let's go!"

"What about Jack? I won't leave without him!" Will exclaimed.

In a split second, the group noticed the Pelegostos chasing a lone man, running awkwardly, but frantically towards them. Jack Sparrow.

"Hey!" he called, still running spastically towards the group. The Pelegostos were closing in behind him.

"Uh, time to go!" Will yelped as he noticed the colossal number of armed natives charging towards them.

Sora, Kairi, Will, and the pirates leapt onto the Black Pearl's deck and scrambled.

"Cast off the lines!" Gibbs yelled. Jack could be heard screaming from below, trying to avoid the spears being thrown at him. "Make ready to cast off!"

At the last moment, Jack jumped forward and clung onto the rigging on the side of the Black Pearl. The ship soon retrieved its anchors and began to sail away with the wind. Huge waves splashed onto Jack, washing away his tribal tattoos. In the distant, the shouts and chants and war drums of the Pelegostos could still be heard, disappointed that their "god" had departed from them.


	40. Sinister Sundown

**Chapter XL:**

Governor Weatherby Swann, Elizabeth's father, managed to sneak his way into the underground prison where Elizabeth was held captive. It was a deed that would surely strip him of his rank if he were discovered. After several protests, Elizabeth was finally forced to escape from the prison. Outside, in the darkness of the night, a horse and carriage waited for the runaways. Silently, the carriage transported them away until it halted at the dock, where a ship's captain was supposed to take Elizabeth far away from Port Royal.

"Captain?" the governor called.

From the bushes and trees bordering the roads, soldiers and cavalry suddenly emerged and cut off all escape routes. Disallowing another capture, the governor ushered Elizabeth out of the carriage before they were completely surrounded. Through the undergrowth Elizabeth went, unnoticed by the soldiers. The governor eyed her cautiously for pursuers. There were none, as the soldiers had their attention on him. Mercer, Lord Beckett's personal assistant, spy, and assassin, approached the carriage up to Governor Swann's terrified face.

Mercer smirked and ordered a few soldiers to rip open the back of the carriage.

"There's no one else in here!" one of the soldiers reported.

Mercer smirk disappeared, the expression transforming into a scowl and a sinister glare.

"Where is she?" Mercer asked the governor.

The governor feebly shook his head and refused to open his mouth. Out of annoyance, Mercer grabbed the governor by the lapels and shoved him against the side of the carriage.

"I asked… where is she?" Mercer spat.

"Well, how should I know? The girl never stays when I ask her to nowadays," Governor Swann stammered.

"That is not the answer I was looking for," Mercer snarled, pulling out a long knife.

The governor raised his arms in fright as Mercer raised his arm in position to stab the old man. However, nearby horses unexpectedly started to panic before Mercer could strike. The interruption drew away the henchman's attention for a moment. Before long, thinking it was only a spooky howl of the wind, Mercer returned to the cowering governor, ready to plunge the serrated knife into the old man. Before he could do so, he was interrupted yet again, this time by the soldiers.

"_You_ there," Mercer yelled to one of the soldiers. "What is the meaning of this? What is troubling the men?"

"T-t-t-t-that… there…!" gasped the soldier.

Mercer looked up to see a giant black creature with glowing yellow eyes slowly hovering towards his small squad of soldiers. Its wings were stretched out, and so were its four long arms. A heart-shaped emblem marked its chest. Mercer stared in terrible awe as the creature approached his men. The Heartless Syx advanced ever so closer.

"It's the devil! It's finally come to get us all!" one of the soldiers cried out.

"Run, for the love of God,_ run!_" another screamed.

The soldiers scrambled, many turning away from Mercer and the governor and running for their lives. Many others crawled up to the panicking horses and rode away.

"Come back, you cowards!" Mercer roared. His roar was matched with the screech from the giant Heartless. Unable to resist any longer, Mercer dropped his knife and ran towards the dock. He leapt onto a small rowboat and quickly paddled away.

Now it was Governor Swann in a broken, horseless carriage facing the Heartless commander. Petrified, horrified, and utterly baffled, the governor climbed into the back of the carriage in attempt to hide from the creature he had never seen before in his long years. Syx snorted and with one clean swipe, completely tore off the roof of the carriage, revealing the cringing governor. Cornered with nowhere to turn, the governor covered his head and waited for whatever terribleness bound to be inflicted upon him.

But before Syx could do anything with her new toy, a second figure appeared behind her. Before the Heartless could react, a sharp object sank into her back, causing black and purple vapors to steam and ooze out. Screeching in pain, Syx knocked away her attacker with her giant wings. Then, limping for a few seconds, Syx turned around and squinted at her adversary.

"_You_," she growled telepathically. "_How dare you…_"

The figure removed his hood, revealing his face. Riku. Keyblade in hand, he charged again at Syx, who dodged the attack by soaring into the air.

"_I thought Sarlix had you removed_," said Syx.

"Well, then you thought wrong," Riku countered. He jumped into the air to attack Syx, who again dodged the attack by flying further away. Riku saw the dodge coming and fired a dark fire-based spell at the Heartless. The black ball of flaming energy made direct contact with Syx, exploding on her face. Screaming in agony, the Heartless commander came crashing onto Governor Swann's carriage. Luckily, the poor governor crawled out of the way before he was flattened.

Riku entered free-fall in the air, diving headfirst with his Keyblade pointed downwards towards the stunned Syx, ready to finish off the Heartless for good. Still, nothing could be that easy as Syx shook off the shock and parried Riku's Keyblade with her claws. Quickly, the Heartless then countered by knocking Riku away with her other arms. As Riku slid across the dirt road, Sarlix rose up again, this time her eyes glowing bright with an eerie orange instead of yellow. Before Riku could respond, he found himself with Shadows and Soldier Heartless closing in on him.

"Huh," Riku scoffed as he stood up, Keyblade in hand. "Can't defeat me without getting some help?"

"_All's fair in love and war. War, especially_," Syx grunted.

"Weird, I thought you Heartless were supposed to be mindless walking bags of darkness," Riku spat.

"_Well… then you thought wrong_," Syx messaged Riku, mocking him by using his own words against him. "_You're finished, Keyblade-wielder_."

"Not quite," said Riku, closing his eyes.

He made one clean sweep with his Keyblade, using the dark fire-based spell in conjunction with his signature Dark Aura spell to blast away the dozens of Heartless minions around him. With his Keyblade still glowing, Riku opened his eyes to face Syx.

"Not even close," he scoffed.

"_Using the powers of darkness. Impressive,_" noted Syx.

The Heartless commander folded her wings around her and sank into the ground through a black puddle. Riku pursued, slashing down only a second too late as the Keyblade struck the dirt.

"Damn it," Riku muttered silently, staring at the fading black puddle through where Syx escaped.

Riku turned away and opened a dark portal. Before he could step in, however, Governor Swann grabbed hold of Riku's shoulder. Alerted, Riku yanked out his Keyblade and had the weapon placed slightly under the governor's chin.

"Oh," Riku mumbled. "Sorry."

Riku recalled his Keyblade from the again terrified governor. But still, before Riku could leave the scene, Governor Swann grabbed hold of Riku's shoulder again.

"Thank you, um… you're not from here, are you?" the governor asked.

"No," Riku shook his head, about to leave again, but was held back.

"You saved me, and perhaps my daughter just as much," the governor said quickly. "How can I ever repay you?"

"You don't need to," said Riku. He was about to step into the portal, but thought of something. "Actually, have you seen a spiky-haired boy? Brown hair? And a girl with long, red hair with him by any chance? It's fine if you haven't, but if you ever do again, tell them—hmm… tell them Riku said hello."

Without giving the governor a chance to reply, Riku stepped into the closing portal, disappearing from Port Royal.

* * *

"Jack," Will called. The pirate captain paid no attention to the young man. Instead, Jack Sparrow was trying to shoot… a monkey. "Jack."

"Ah," said Jack, finally putting away his pistol.

"Elizabeth is in danger."

"Have you considered keepin' a more watchful eye on 'er?" suggested Jack, as he wandered around the Black Pearl's deck. "Maybe just lock 'er up somewhere?"

"She_ is_ locked up! In a prison! Bound to hang for helping _you!_" Will exclaimed.

Jack still did not seem to care much as he continued to dawdle.

"There comes a time when one must take responsibility for one's mistakes…"

Will yanked a sword from the waistband of a nearby pirate and pointed it at Jack. Sora came forward and eased down Will's arm, lowering it away from a dangerous level.

"Come on, Will, you don't need to do that," Sora advised.

"I need that compass of yours, Jack. I must trade it for Elizabeth's freedom," said Will, ignoring Sora.

Jack looked away and smacked his lips.

"Well, thank you, Zola," he babbled. "I figured you'd be much help comin' along right here. Gibbs!"

"Ugh, it's _Sora!_" Sora muttered. That was the second time Jack called him by the wrong name.

Gibbs came over to Jack and they began discussing something.

"We have a need to travel upriver," said Jack.

"What we need to do is make sail for Port Royal with all haste," Will interrupted.

"William," he said with a sigh, turning around to face Will. "I shall trade you the compass, if you will help me… to find_ this_."

Jack unfolded a piece of fabric with an imprint of a key-shaped object stamped in the center. Sora looked over Will's shoulder. A Keyblade? No, it looked more like a normal key.

"You want me to find this?" asked Will.

"No," Jack corrected. "_You_ want you to find this. Because the finding this finds you the _incapacitorially_ finding and or locating and your discovering the detecting of a way to save your dolly-dolly belle ol'… what's-'er-face… Savvy?"

Sora wanted to laugh. Kairi stared with a completely puzzled look. Will scratched his head.

"So…" Will said slowly. "This… is going to save Elizabeth?"

Jack put on a grimly serious expression.

"How much do you know about Davy Jones?"


	41. The Flying Dutchman

**Chapter XLI:**

Davy Jones was perhaps the most feared captain on the open seas. He was the supernatural commandeer of his deadly cursed crew aboard the notorious ghost ship, the Flying Dutchman. Literally invincible, Davy Jones cannot be destroyed or even harmed in any way. But the ruler of the seas owned only one weakness. And in order to exploit Davy Jones' one weakness, Jack Sparrow embarked on the journey to search for a mysterious key.

On board the Black Pearl, Sora could tell there was some sort of stress bothering Jack. Perhaps it was because of this Davy Jones. Sora knew nothing of Davy Jones, but Will seemed to know at least a tidbit more than Sora did.

"Not much," Will responded after Jack questioned the extent of his knowledge.

"Yeah, it's gonna save Elizabeth," Jack said, referring to the key.

"Who is this… _Davy Jones?_" Sora asked.

"He's a monster," said Will. "A terrible abomination—"

"He's this, how do you say, scary feller that I owe my soul to, that's it," Jack butted in.

"Your _soul?_" Sora sputtered. "For what?"

"Oh, for raisin' the Pearl from the depths," Jack explained. "Thirteen years have passed, savvy?"

"You're going to have to give a little more info than that, Jack," said Sora.

"Bugger," Jack spat. "I don't have to. You can ask Jones yourself."

Sora and Kairi were clueless as to what was happening or what Jack was talking about. It was all until both of them realized that another ship was speeding towards the Black Pearl. Jack continued to shout and scramble all over the deck of his beloved ship.

"All hands! Up, men, up! Make ready for impact! Gibbs! _Gibbs!_" Jack yelled. "Do _not_ load the cannons! If need be… argh, just nothin' _stupid!_"

"What is going on, Sora?" Kairi asked cautiously.

Both Sora and she got out of the pirates' ways and dodged into a corner on the deck. The sky was noticeably darker and the air became more humid.

"I have no idea, Kairi," Sora answered. "If you're completely lost, that's okay, because I am, too."

Kairi helplessly offered a smile. In a moment, the clouds became unusually dense, resulting in powerful torrents of rain. Thunder boomed, but Jack's voice could still be heard in the background, shouting out random, unnecessary orders to his crew.

"Here, mate," Jack said to Sora, handing him a telescope. "Be on the lookout for the Flying Dutchman."

"The what?" Sora asked.

"Normally, I would… bah, here, lemme show you—" Jack said, grabbing back the telescope. "Oh."

Jack was somewhat stunned, as he dropped the telescope to the ground, but Sora and Kairi were completely caught by surprise. The creature before them, a robust humanoid topping well over six feet, equipped with a face full of tentacles, a giant lobster claw on his left hand, and a single peculiar crustacean pegleg, stared directly at Jack, ignoring everyone else. At the same time, Sora looked around the Black Pearl and caught the sight of an entire crew of half-human, half-sea creature beings suddenly and silently transporting themselves onto the Black Pearl. It was a shock indeed, and it left Sora and Kairi speechless.

"You have a debt to pay. You've been captain of the Black Pearl for thirteen years—" Davy Jones grumbled in Jack's face.

_So that's Davy Jones_, Sora thought. The captain of the Flying Dutchman appeared more frightening then the majority of the Heartless and Nobodies Sora faced on his past journeys.

"Technically, I was only captain for two years, then I was viciously mutinied upon," Jack responded bravely to Davy Jones.

"Then you were a poor captain, but a captain nonetheless!" Davy Jones retorted. "Have you not introduced yourself all these years as _Captain_ Jack Sparrow?"

Jack pulled Will over to him.

"You have my payment," Jack offered. "One soul to serve on your ship is already over here."

Will's eyes bulged, ready to explode in protest.

"One soul is not equal to another," said Davy Jones. He squinted at Will's face, which seemed to have relaxed a bit, now that it seemed Davy Jones did not want anything to do with him.

"Sora, this guy is really creeping me out," Kairi whimpered.

"I know," Sora whispered back. "I still have no idea what's going on."

"Aha!" Jack exclaimed, releasing his hold on Will. "So we've established my proposal is sound in principle, now we're just haggling over price."

"Price? Pfft!" Davy Jones sputtered. He turned to Sora and Kairi, who were both attempting to cover themselves from view.

"Just how many souls do you think my soul is worth?" Jack asked, trying to get Davy Jones' attention again.

"One hundred souls," Davy Jones snarled, taking in the new offer. "You've got yourself three _daysss-uh_."

"You're a diamond, mate," Jack said gleefully. "So—"

"I keep the boy and the girl," Davy Jones interrupted, yanking up Sora and Kairi with great force and strength. "A good-faith payment. That leaves you only ninety-eight more souls to go. Ha! Ha ha! Ha ha! Ah, and maybe this boy here, too! Ninety-seven, Sparrow."

Davy Jones used the tentacles on his face and seized Will. Sora, Kairi, and Will all had their muscles rendered useless, being trapped by paranormal strength. The evil pirate captain cackled maniacally.

"That lad, Sora! Don't you know? He's heroic, a real lifesaver at times. And… and… perhaps he's worth more than a soul. Come now, mate, you know it, two or three?" Jack started to bargain in futility. "And… Have you not met Will Turner? He's noble, also heroic,_ terrific_ soprano. Worth at least four... maybe three and a half. And did I happen to mention... he's in love. With a girl. Due to be married. Betrothed. Dividing 'im from 'er and 'er from 'im... would only be half as cruel as actually allowing them be joined in holy matrimony. Aye?"

Jack was seriously struggling to find some way to negotiate with Davy Jones, but to no avail. The villainous pirate was steadfast.

"I keep the boys and the girl. Ninety-seven _soulsss-uh_. But I wonder, Sparrow, can you live with this? Can you condemn innocent ones—_friendsss-uh_—to lifetimes of servitude, in your name while you roam free?"

"Yep!" Jack exclaimed, surprising Sora, Kairi, and Will. "I'm good with it—"

"Three days," Davy Jones murmured sinisterly, slipping away. "Three days."

Sora still could not believe that Jack would just give up his friends as easily as he just did. Sora began to doubt if Jack ever considered Sora and Will his friends. Kairi was an exception since Jack had not met or even heard about Kairi before. Still, giving up three lives to a horrific pirate that was neither human nor beast? Sora could not comprehend it. Before he knew it, Kairi, Will, and he were on board the notorious Flying Dutchman.

* * *

When Riku saw a bright object flashing through the night sky, he was in great spirits, but stayed reserved at the same time. The object in the sky could either be the Highwind or the Celsius, holding either Sora and Kairi, or Mickey, Donald, and Goofy. It would be great to know if his friends were safe, but knowing the costs of siding with the powers of darkness, Riku remained resolute in avoiding encounters with his friends.

_Where is the keyhole to this world?_ Riku kept asking himself.

Normally, when the Keyblade nears a keyhole, it would almost automatically trigger itself to lock the world from darkness. But countless hours had passed and Riku had yet to find himself even remotely close to the keyhole.

Temporarily giving up on his search for the keyhole, Riku decided to attend to another matter: finding and dealing with Syx. Their previous encounter ended with neither side victorious. Riku decided this time he would become the hunter.

Tearing open a corridor, Riku departed for another unknown world, in hopes of being able to find Syx.

* * *

Immediately upon being taken to the Flying Dutchman, Sora, Kairi, and Will were assigned duties, mostly consisting of manual labor. All sorts of hideous deformities surrounded the three of them. Basically every crewmember had some sort of aquatic feature attached to him, ranging from giant mussel shells, to barnacle skeletons, to squirming tentacles. The sights greatly appalled Kairi, obstructing her from doing any productive work. Trying his best to assist, Sora took on raising the sails at a double pace, in order for Kairi to rest. A few feet away, Will pulled a long, thick rope along with several others of the Flying Dutchman crew. It was excruciating work. In only a few minutes of working, Sora felt blisters developing all over his hands from pushing and yanking ropes, cords, and the like.

"Heave! Heave! Heave! Heave!" the working crewmembers chanted as they pulled on ropes.

"Haul that lil' lass to her feet!" a great bosun bellowed, seeing Kairi was idle.

Instantly, the chants stopped, the organ playing ominously in the background stopped, and all attention on the deck of the Flying Dutchman turned to Kairi.

"Five lashes to remind you… to stay on 'em!" the bosun roared, pointing at the ropes attached to the sails.

Sora leapt in front of the bosun before the whip was drawn. The bosun gritted his sharp fish teeth and snarled.

"Impeding me in my duties. You'll share the punishment!"

"I'll take it all," Sora challenged defiantly. Kairi gasped and held onto Sora's outstretched arms from behind.

"Will ye now?" Davy Jones' cold voice sounded from the cabin. The pirate captain slowly made his way to where the commotion was. "And what would prompt such an act of charity?"

Sora kept a firm and emotionless facade as he shifted his glare from the bosun and over to Davy Jones.

"I asked a question, boy. What would prompt such an act of charity?" Davy Jones repeated as he bent down, his foul face inching closer to Sora's.

Resisting the urge to fight, Sora inconspicuously clenched his teeth to calm himself.

"What would?" Davy Jones hissed again, his breath passing by Sora's face, making the Keyblade master wince. "Heh. Ha! Ha ha! Bosun!"

"I will protect her," Sora answered quietly.

"Eh?" Davy Jones said, turning back and bent down to face Sora. "I heard you not. Care to repeat your _wordsss-uh?_"

"It's because," Sora muttered spitefully. "I care about her… So I will _protect_ her… _captain_."

Davy Jones became silent, as he stood erect again. He snorted and departed on his way back to his cabin.

"What fortuitous circumstance be this! Five lashes be owed. I believe it is," Davy Jones ultimately said after a long, silent pause. He glanced over his back and stared at Sora maliciously. "You will feel the sting—by your own hands, boy. Bosun!"

Kairi had tears trickling down her face as the bosun handed Sora the whip.

"Five lashes!" the bosun snarled.

"You have got to be dreaming!" Sora shouted as he snatched the whip and flogged the bosun across the face, sending particles of shells, scales, water, and blood flying into the night air.

The bosun screeched in agony as Sora sent another lash, thrashing the bosun furiously.

"If you think I would hurt Kairi as easily as that…" Sora panted quietly at the bosun, who laid motionless on the ship's wooden deck. "There's no way… that I would ever, _ever_."

Kairi had her eyes shut the entire time. But she felt no pain in the violence, feeling no painful slashes ripping into her back. She opened her eyes and saw Sora's back, rising and falling from breaths mixed of exhaustion and rage. At Sora's feet was a lifeless bosun and in Sora's hand was a long whip. The Flying Dutchman's crew had quietly gone back to their assigned duties, their chants slowly returning as the words, "Heave! Heave!" and the ominous chords of the organ in the background could be heard once again.

Sora dropped the whip and fell on his knees and hands. Kairi came rushing to his side, soon followed by Will afterwards. Sora's eyes were open, signifying full alertness, to Kairi's relief. Will helped Sora off the wet deck and allowed him to lean on a pillar.

"What just happened," Sora whispered. "I don't think I've ever… been that angry before…"

"Then you do care for Kairi," Will answered reassuringly. "Or else you would not have shown the emotions you have."

Sora smiled and gazed at Kairi, who still had a teardrop in her eye.

"Thank you, Sora," Kairi whispered. "For saving me again."

The Keyblade master gave Kairi another awkward smile, relaxing a bit.

"No problem, Kairi."

"Come on now," Will beckoned. "Let's head down to the interior while no one's watching."

Slowly, Sora stumbled his way to equilibrium as Will lead Kairi and him down a flight of empty stairs into the interior of the Flying Dutchman. It was damp and dark, but at least there was a single lit lamp. And at least it felt safer than it did up on the deck full of deformed crewmen. Resting on a small, wooden stool, Sora closed his eyes and leaned on the wall behind him before slipping into much needed sleep.


	42. Liar's Dice

**Chapter XLII:**

Crashing and tumbling in the void, the Highwind spun out of control and landed brutally on solid ground. Pete, dazed and lost, flopped out of the cockpit and sat on the soil.

_What is this place?_ he wondered.

A dark palace loomed in the distance, providing an eerie aura to the land around it. It sent chills down Pete's back. Seeing that the Highwind was out of commission, Pete decided to explore his surroundings, perhaps investigate the dark palace that hung further away.

It did not take long before Pete's presence was noticed. Heartless of all varieties suddenly began rising out of the ground. Pete backed off a few feet towards the busted Highwind and held his hands up in defense. Colossal Large Bodies, numerous Shadows, Jazzes, and Requiems emerged and closed in. Countless Neoshadows and Soldier Heartless also surrounded Pete, and soon the anthropomorphic feline found himself overwhelmed by the swarming dark embodiments of darkness. The piercing yellow eyes of the Heartless squinted in hostility and they soon began their attack.

"Back, you twerpish Heartless!" Pete shouted as some Shadows began to grasp onto his arms. "Don't you know who I am? I am Pete! I used to command you lots!"

Helpless, Pete was finally dragged into the vast sea of Heartless. Protesting and complaining, though with no significant effect, Pete found himself facing the doors to the dark palace he had seen in the distance before. Now he was at the entrance, held upright by a few Soldier Heartless. He swung his arms around to shake off the grips of a few Heartless, though he was still completely trapped.

Suddenly, two larger Heartless emerged in front of him out of the ground, temporarily sending Pete into a fit of hysteria. It was Syx and Grymox that appeared, and in turn, both of them took Pete away from the lesser Heartless. Again, Pete freaked out and tried to spastically struggle out of the Heartless' grips. Both the more cunning commanders glared fiendishly at the struggling Pete. They snorted in cynicism and incredulity.

"_I can't believe this guy used to control the Heartless_," Grymox mused.

"_Who told you that?_" Syx questioned.

"_The mistress mentioned this fool before,_" said Grymox.

Syx snorted and glared at Pete again, sending him chills.

"W-what do you creeps want with me?" Pete stammered. "I'm not affiliated with you things no more!"

"_You used to work for Maleficent?_" Syx messaged Pete.

"What the… you can talk? How can Heartless talk?" Pete wondered out loud.

"_Do you see my lips moving? Do I even have any lips?_" Syx mocked.

"_It's telepathy, you idiot,_" Grymox added.

_Again with the insults?_ Pete noted to himself. _This must be Maleficent's place. I gotta get outta here!_

"Er… um," Pete mumbled. "Any chance you two'll let me go for now? Y'know, m-maybe we can meet up some other t-time—"

"_Shut up_," Syx screeched and slammed her large hand on the back of Pete's head.

* * *

"We still need to find this key," Will announced to Sora and Kairi, unfolding the cloth-like sheet Jack gave him before.

Upon seeing the imprinted image of the key, a pair of eyes appeared on the coral-encrusted wall behind Will. Kairi shuddered and pointed at the ancient face that appeared out of the wall. It was crewmember Wyvern, who had physically become part of the Flying Dutchman. Wyvern's history was a mystery, but it appeared to be a curse, one that bound the pirate to the Flying Dutchman and to Davy Jones for all eternity. Wyvern broke his head away from the wall when he heard Will talking about "the key." On the wall, his brain could be seen dangling behind him.

"The Deadman's Chest," Wyvern spoke hoarsely.

"What's that?" Sora asked.

"What do you know of this?" Will asked.

"Open the chest with the key, and stab the heart," Wyvern answered. Momentarily, he began sputtering. "No, no, no, no, don't stab the heart. The Dutchman needs a living heart or there'll be no captain. And if there's no captain, there's no one to have the key."

Sora scratched his head in confusion. He summoned the Oblivion and waved it in front of Wyvern.

"How about this key?"

Wyvern shook his head.

"I've seen none like it," he responded, creaking his ancient neck towards the image of the key in Will's hands. "It is _this_ key."

Will ruffled the old fabric around and thought.

"So…" he said. "The captain has the key."

Wyvern gasped and retreated back into the coral wall. He had said more than he should have. In fact, Wyvern regretted coming out of the wall in the first place.

"Where _is_ the key?" Will asked.

"Hidden," whispered Wyvern.

"Where is the chest?" Kairi asked.

"Hidden."

Wyvern fell silent, closed his eyes, and blended back into the walls, vanishing from the untrained eye. Sora recalled his Keyblade and went over to the spot where the pirate dissolved into. He felt around the wall until he grazed Wyvern's nose. The entire face of the crewmember was wooden, with dabs of coral chunks hooked onto various areas of the face.

"You seem to be wise, like you've been here a long time," Sora said to the silent Wyvern. "What else do you know about Davy Jones?"

Wyvern was mute and still, as if he became an inanimate object.

"Never mind him, Sora," Will said. "I don't think he wants to say anything more."

Sora put a finger on his chin and on his lips in a gesture of thought. They needed a plan. If Davy Jones did hold the key, which made sense if the key opened something important for the evil pirate captain, then they must find some way to gain possession of the treasured object.

_How?_ Sora asked himself. Indeed, how does one get close to a supernatural seafarer?

"Any luck, Sora?" Kairi asked. "Did you think of anything?"

"I say we go back up there, and figure out how to get close enough to Davy Jones without him noticing. Maybe the key's on him," Sora suggested.

"Workable plan," said Will. "Not too foolproof, but good enough for the time being. No one be too reckless. We must stay casual."

The three of them crept up the staircase leading up to the deck. On the surface, there were crewmen still working on the masts, the ropes, the cannons, and other gears and accessories of the ship. However, some of the pirates were sitting on the wooden floor, hooting and shouting. Were they playing a game of some sort? Sora, Kairi, and Will snuck behind a few large crates and observed the chattering pirates from above.

The hunch was correct. The pirates were playing a game, using old, moldy dices of some sort. Each player had five six-sided dice, and each player also had a cup used for concealing the dice. Bids were made, and sounds of hoots and yells continued to roll through the air.

"I wager ten years!" a crewman with a hammerhead shark's head roared.

"I'll match your wager!" another crewman shouted.

Dices fell, cups were raised, and more shouts and yells were exchanged.

"What are they playing?" Kairi asked curiously and cautiously.

"It's a game of deception," Will explained. "Your bet includes all the dice, not just your own. It's called Liar's Dice."

"I get it," said Sora, after carefully analyzing the elements of the game. "Who's challenging who, though?"

"I've not a clue," said Will.

"In that case," Sora chuckled. "I challenge… _Davy Jones!_"

The organ playing the background ceased. The chatters stopped. The pirates stopped gambling and other stopped working. Only the crashing waves of the sea could be heard. But in a brief moment, Davy Jones' peg crab leg could be heard thumping onto the deck.

"I accept _thattt-uh_," Davy Jones called out. He cackled and sat down at a gambling table. "The stakes?"

"My soul," Will interrupted before Sora could say anything. "An eternity of servitude."

"Against?" Davy Jones inquired.

_What are you doing, Will?!_ Sora wanted to shout. Instead, he grabbed Will's picture of the key and unfolded it.

"We want this," Sora said, showing Jones the image of the key.

Davy Jones stared at the image for a few seconds, apparently surprised and slightly irritated by it. He glared from the image and back to Sora and Will.

"How do you know of the key?" he spat.

"That's not part of the game, is it? You can still walk away," countered Will.

Davy Jones hissed as he used one of the tentacles on his face to pull a large, black, rusty key out from under his vest. Displaying it fondly for a moment, the pirate captain returned the key back under the refuge of the slimy tentacles. Kairi, who was standing behind Sora the entire time, nearly gagged at the sight of the slithering tentacles. She stomped her feet and sat down in a chair next to Sora.

"What's this?" Jones asked curiously.

"Don't do this, Kairi," Sora pleaded.

"Kairi, no, just let Sora and I do this," Will tried to reason.

Kairi shook her head as she claimed her dirty cup and a set of dice. Sora, Will, and Davy Jones each got their respective sets. Sora stared at Kairi, not believing the fact that she was also playing the game. What if she loses?

"Ha!" Davy Jones snickered. "Three new crewmembers by the end of the _nighttt-uh_. Three fours."

"Three fives," Will betted.

"Four fives," Sora betted.

"Six sixes," Kairi betted. The atmosphere was getting tense, as the three of them, Sora, Kairi, and Will glanced up at Davy Jones' smirking face.

"Huh, huh, huh," Davy Jones chuckled. "Welcome to the crew, ya_ lying lassie!_"

The pirate captain was about to yank Kairi's cup off the table before Sora interrupted him.

"Well, I think you were lying, _captain_," said Sora.

Davy Jones saddled back into his chair and cackled.

"And be called a liar myself for my trouble? Boy, you're a liar and you will spend an eternity on this ship! Ah, lass, feel free to go ashore... the very next time we make port!"

Davy Jones continued to cackle as he knocked over both Sora and Kairi's cups to reveal five dices with different numbers, but both with a single four. Jones flipped over Will's cup to reveal two twos, a four, and two sixes. And the pirate captain revealed his dice, showing a two, two threes, a single four, and a six. On the entire table, there were five twos, six threes,_ three fours_, a five, and _five sixes_. Davy Jones had won with an exact bet on three fours. Kairi was one short on her bet on six sixes.

"Welcome to the crew, boys and girls!" Davy Jones spat as he laughed maniacally all the way back into his cabin. The onlookers resumed their duties and some chatter soon resumed its normal pace and volume.

Sora, Kairi, and Will sat in their chairs, quiet from Davy Jones' overenthusiastic self-praising cheers. Sora could not help but notice that Kairi actually almost defeated the pirate captain in his own game. Nonetheless, Davy Jones was a supernatural being, who knows what he could do to enhance his possibilities of winning?

"Hey, Kairi. Why'd you have to do that?" Sora asked.

"Do what?" Kairi asked back softly.

"Jump into the game…"

"Who knows?" Kairi responded. She smiled and giggled. "Plus, I almost won, didn't I?"

Sora was constantly surprised at Kairi's ability to stay cheerful in such a bleak situation. Still, the whole situation was not a win-lose situation in the favor of Davy Jones. Sora still accomplished something in the whole matter.

"It was never about winning, or losing, was it, Sora?" Will asked. He knew what the accomplishment was.

"Yup," said Sora. "Now we know where Davy Jones' is hiding his key."


	43. Steal the Key and Abandon Ship!

**Chapter XLIII:**

It was the dead of night, well past midnight as the luminescent full moon glowed brightly in the sky. The crew of the Flying Dutchman made their way into the bunkers for the night's rest. And though some stayed on the deck, they were slumped over in sleep nonetheless. Sora, Kairi, and Will were wide awake. This silent night was their night for action. If there was a perfect opportunity to claim Davy Jones' prized key, it was now.

The captain's cabin, located at the stern of the ship, was locked. But if there was any reason for the Keyblade's existence besides slaying Heartless and locking the keyholes of the worlds, it was to open various locks. Sora gently tapped the locked keyhole of the cabin's door, hearing it unlock with a small click.

"I wonder if I can just open the Deadman's Chest with the Keyblade," Sora wondered out loud.

"Shh," Will said, silencing Sora. "Your sword is not of this world. A mythical chest, such as the Deadman's Chest, I doubt can be opened with a_ different_ key."

"You're probably right," Sora whispered in a quick response before pushing open the captain's cabin door.

It was gloomily dark in Davy Jones' room, perhaps due to the lack of any windows. The only unique object in the room was a giant organ, encrusted with shells, urchins, corals, and other marine creature parts. Davy Jones was hunched over in his seat, his head hovering a few inches away from the organ keyboard. Sora, Kairi, and Will crept into the room without making any sounds, fearful of the pirate captain's possible waking.

Luckily for them, Davy Jones was snoring in his deep slumber. As Sora boldly stepped closed to Davy Jones, he felt gushes of smelly mists spray towards him from the pirate captain's cephalopodan siphons. Each long exhale sprayed more odorous mists towards Sora, disgusting the young Keyblade master. Every once in a while, the tentacles on Davy Jones' face would twitch and snake eerily around. Though it did not seem like much, the slithering did irritate Kairi, who turned away from the pirate captain, unable to look on anymore.

Sora got far enough as a foot away from Davy Jones' face. He tried to look around for any objects that could move the pesky tentacles out of his way. There were at least a dozen slimy tentacles flopped in front of Davy Jones. Will needed the pirate's key to trade for Jack's compass. Will needed the compass to trade for Elizabeth's freedom. But first things first; they had to find a way past Davy Jones. However, there seemed to be no possible way of making a grab for the key without waking up the evil pirate captain.

Will spotted a couple of quill pens nearby. They were light, long, and sturdy, making them suitable props for handling Davy Jones' hindering tentacles. Will picked up one pen and handed another one to Sora, who took the pen with a peculiar look to his face. Will shrugged and used his pen to lift up on of Davy Jones' tentacles. Sora nodded and did the same.

A little less graceful, Sora accidentally dropped the tentacle he was lifting. The tentacle fell onto an organ key, emitting an echoing note. Davy Jones muttered something, his tentacles probing and slithering in random directions, but his eyes remained closed. One tentacle grazed over a locket, activating a peaceful lullaby. Slowly, the pirate captain began to snore again as he eased up, relaxing to the simple melodies. Both Sora and Will were frozen in place, both expecting Davy Jones to wake up. Seeing that no harm was done, Sora and Will resumed their mission, both being extra careful in their work.

Kairi stood by the door, periodically glancing out onto the deck to check if any crewmen were awake and about. Periodically, she would also check Sora and Will's progress in the removal of the key. Even though the surroundings were obviously filthy, dreary, and absolutely unfitting for a girl like Kairi, the night itself was serene enough. Kairi began to hum, out of boredom, as well as merely enjoying the clear moonlight's aura.

_[I wanna be with you now,  
Let's shorten the distance between the two of us.  
We can still make it on time,  
We can start over…]_

Sora listened to Kairi's voice as he carefully lifted a wad of tentacles with a single raise of his pen, revealing the prized key. Quickly, he used his pinky to pick off the key and allowed Will to fill the empty slot with the cloth-drawing of the key. Gently placing the slippery tentacles back in their original resting spots, Sora motioned for Will and Kairi to leave the captain's cabin.

Will silently jogged out of the room while Sora took Kairi's arm and led her out of the room. They closed the door behind him, with Sora quickly locking it with his Keyblade.

"Do you think he's gonna notice?" Kairi asked Sora.

"Yeah, I bet. I mean, the key opens a chest that contains his heart. How weird is that, by the way? Being separate from your heart?" Sora responded in a comical tone.

And then Sora realized something. Kairi realized the same thing. They both experienced that at one point…

"Anyway, we have to get off this ship," Sora said, changing his tone immediately. Will nodded.

"I was thinking of the same thing," Will agreed. "Oh, yes, where's the key?"

Sora tossed Will the key to the Deadman's Chest.

"What do you suggest, Will?" Sora asked.

Will rubbed his thin mustache in wonder. Then he chuckled to himself.

"What would you two say to abandoning ship?" he suggested.

Sora's face lit up.

"Abandoning ship? Like people out at sea always do when there's trouble?" he eagerly asked.

_Sora's acting like a little boy again_, Kairi noted to herself, smiling at the same time.

"Yes. We abandon ship," Will whispered.

"Wait," Kairi interrupted. "Aren't there any lifeboats around here?"

"No, Kairi," Sora said, stifling a laugh. "Abandon ship, like… jump!"

"_Jump?!_" she retorted in horror. "Remember the last time you made me jump? Off that humongous tree at home? _You_ broke your ankle in the process _and_ scared _me_ half to death! What makes you think that I'm going to jump this time?"

Sora looked over the railings on the side of the Flying Dutchman. The seawater was not too far down, perhaps leading approximately to a thirty-foot drop. It sounded like a lot, but if one dived correctly, no injuries would be sustained.

"Kairi," Sora snickered quietly. "Don't tell me you're afraid of heights."

"No…" Kairi quickly countered. "I just—don't like jumping off of cliffs and stuff…"

She sighed. There was no use arguing with Sora. Besides, she earnestly wanted to get off this ship of living nightmares.

"Here," Sora said, offering Kairi his hand. "We'll jump together."

Kairi whimpered for a moment before grasping onto Sora's hand. Sora nodded at Will, who nodded back. Will stepped onto the railing and dove headfirst down the side of the Flying Dutchman and into the dark seawater. Kairi let out a panicky puff of breath at Will's erratic dive and buried her head in Sora's shoulder.

"C'mon, Kairi, it's our turn," Sora said quietly.

"Sora, please, I don't—" Kairi began to stammer.

Sora grabbed a loose plank and tossed it into the sea, where Will clung onto it. Sora threw a couple of more wooden planks into the sea.

"We'll float around on the planks. It won't be too bad, I promise."

Kairi let out another whimper and shoved her head back into Sora's shoulder. Sora grabbed Kairi and quickly hopped onto the railing. Kairi yelped.

"Psst!" Will hissed from below. "Not too loud, you two. You don't want to wake the crew!"

"Soraaa—Ahh!" Kairi screamed.

Sora held Kairi around the waist as he dove headfirst towards the sea. Out of terror, Kairi had both her arms strapped around Sora's neck, choking the poor Keyblade master. The two of them made a barely elegant splash in the water.

The frightened yelp, the high-pitched scream, and the loud splash in the sea combined together in a matter of seconds were enough to wake a few crewmembers that were sleeping on the deck. Maccus, the first mate of the Flying Dutchman, the hammerheaded crewman, was alerted of the situation by some of the other waking crewmembers.

"The three that the captain 'rought in have gone overboard," one crewman reported.

"They've not gone overboard," Maccus sneered as he spotted Sora, Kairi, and Will swimming into the distance. "They've abandoned ship."

Maccus pushed a few crewmen out of his way and stormed towards Davy Jones' cabin.


	44. Hidden Hesitation

**Chapter XLIV:**

Pete woke up from his comatose state and peered around his immediate surroundings. For a moment, he forgot where he was, unable to figure out his exact location. He was sitting idly in a chair behind a large stone desk. How he got there in the first place, Pete did not know. The room he was in was compact and extremely stuffy. What made it worse was that the only opening in the room was a small door serving as both an entrance and an exit. Trying not to think or even wonder about his predicament, Pete made a move towards the door. But just when he put his hand on the door handle, it opened towards him, catching him off guard and smashing him into the wall.

"You lived," a hollow voice said.

Pete felt dizzy after having his head squashed between the door and the stone walls, but he remained aware enough to identify the person that stood before him. Maleficent. Pete dreaded this moment. He would have preferred fighting all the Keyblade-wielders and their allies, simultaneously with all the Heartless and Nobodies combined than catching a _glimpse_ of Maleficent.

Maleficent waved her wand in a circular motion and in a split second, her two Heartless commanders appeared by her side. Pete sank onto the ground and stared at Maleficent, Syx, and Grymox, his mouth hanging open in horror. Pete knew for a fact that he was physically strong, but in comparison to Maleficent, whose magic and terrible abilities of darkness outweigh any power he knew, Pete felt like he was a lonely ant against a hungry anteater. And now Pete recognized the two nearby unholy beings as the two Heartless commanders that had dragged him into Maleficent's stronghold in the first place. Syx and Grymox were unlike any Heartless Pete had ever seen. There was something that sparked in the Heartless' eyes. It was intelligence… and possibly even spirit, even though they lacked true hearts.

Pete was still analyzing Maleficent and her Heartless commanders when the dark sorceress bent down to level her face with his. A sneer was all Maleficent gave him. Syx and Grymox snorted in response. Pete remained wary.

"And so you lived," Maleficent repeated herself. "And though you lived, what were the odds that you found your way back to me again?"

Pete hopped upright only to have Maleficent's scepter pressed into his neck. In shock, Pete planted his whole backside to the wall.

"Tell me, Pete," said Maleficent. "How _did_ you make it out of the darkness?"

Pete gulped. He did not know where this conversation was heading. Would Maleficent find some way to toss him into the darkness again? Or would fortunes look fondly upon him and allow him to leave this appalling place?

"I… um… uh," Pete stammered. "I-I like what you did with the place, Maleficent—"

Maleficent raised both her arms in a threatening pose, with green flaming miasmas fleetingly emanating from under her cloak and robes.

"Ah! Alright!" Pete burst out. He was not sure how to explain. "Er… I found a door floatin' in the darkness—"

"A door in the darkness?" Maleficent cut in. "Interesting. Do continue."

"Yup. And I went through that door and found my way out—"

"This door," Maleficent interjected again. "Where did it lead?"

Pete scratched his head. What did Sora say to him before?

_[Sora shook his head in vexation.  
"Why are you here on Destiny Islands and how did you get here?"]_

"Destiny Islands."

"Destiny Islands, huh," Maleficent repeated to herself. "Sounds like a very familiar place…"

"It's the Keyblade boy's home," Pete added.

Maleficent's eyes lit up, a new fire burning in them.

"Is it now?" she inquired excitedly, with a sinister tone. "How interesting this is indeed! Perhaps you are still worth something—"

"Now listen here, Maleficent," Pete interrupted. "I ain't workin' for you no more! I just want to get the heck outta here. You can keep all this darkness and Heartless business to yourself and count me out!"

Pete turned towards the door but was blasted back into the chair on the opposite side of the room before he could pull open the door. Maleficent, Syx, and Grymox loomed over him.

"You are a fool. I'm afraid you're not going anywhere," Maleficent said calmly. "I think I will assign you one more job before I truly release you, Pete."

"And if I finish this… 'job,' I'm free to go?" Pete asked eagerly.

Maleficent smirked, which drew the attentions of Syx and Grymox.

"Of course, Pete," she responded quietly and deviously. "Of course."

"Oh, good!" Pete cheered. "Now what will humble ol' me have to do for you?"

Maleficent snapped her fingers and Syx and Grymox both lifted Pete off the chair, both Heartless commanders each seizing one of Pete's arms. Pete looked alarmed as Maleficent whispered into his ear.

"I want you and my two dear Heartless commanders to search and destroy two pests. Two Nobodies—I'm sure you remember what the Nobodies are, the out-of-existence beings—named Sarlix and Xymgrel. They're the Nobody halves of my two Heartless here. I want you and my Heartless commanders to defeat them, and put an end to their miserable existences."

Pete scratched his head again. "Umm… how will I know what they look like?"

"You won't need to work too hard in finding them," Maleficent cackled. "Syx and Grymox, my two Heartless here, they will find Sarlix and Xymgrel in no time at all."

The dark sorceress summoned a dark portal.

"Two more things. One, annihilate whoever tries to hinder your duties. And two…" Maleficent paused and squinted her eyes towards Pete. "If you try to run from me, I will hunt you down and make you a Heartless myself."

Shuddering at the thought of becoming a Heartless, Pete quickly saluted Maleficent and dove into the dark portal. Slowly following were Syx and Grymox, both appearing unusually distraught.

"And what is the matter with _you_ two?" Maleficent snapped. "Does this concern your Nobody halves?"

"_We have no hearts, we don't care about our Nobody halves_," said Syx.

"Then what is with the indolence?" Maleficent asked bitterly.

"_Do we _really_ have to work with that bumbling idiot?_" Grymox snorted.

"Yes," Maleficent responded flatly and pointed her wand towards the closing portal. "Now be gone with you! Both of you!"

Syx and Grymox alternately nodded in respect, turned, and departed in through the dark portal. Maleficent chuckled to herself. It seemed that she just gained new ground in her plans for conquest. If there were doors in the darkness that lead to other worlds, by all means they become new pathways into worlds. Before a world's keyhole is locked, doors that lead to the world from the darkness stay fully open for any traveler in darkness to enter through.

Then again, once a world's keyhole becomes locked, the door floating in the darkness will close, along with any other paths that may link the world with other regions. Nonetheless, these doors of darkness provide alternate routes. For Maleficent, these new routes in the darkness are perfect for her Heartless. Maleficent, satisfied with her new knowledge and realization, slipped away to hatch her next series of diabolical plans.

* * *

Sora, Kairi, and Will, the three of them completely waterlogged, eventually found themselves on dry land. It seemed as if they were drifting in the cold seawater for hours since their escape from the Flying Dutchman. Working fast, Will gathered up firewood while Sora and Kairi contributed by casting their Fire spells on the wood, creating a fairly large campfire. The three of them huddled around the warmth in their drenched clothes, hoping daybreak and the sun would arrive soon.

Naturally, though, before dawn approached, Sora, Kairi, and Will all fell asleep from the immense fatigue and chill they suffered from while drifting in the open sea. And they all stayed asleep for quite some time, for when Will finally awakened, the sun was already high in the air. Their clothes were finally dried as the campfire made it through the night before dying out into a few sparkling embers. Will looked out into the sea, hoping to find some sort of vessel suitable for carrying a few additional passengers.

After a strenuous trial of patience, he was rewarded. With great fortunes, Will spotted a trading ship of some sort slowly approaching the strip of land where Sora, Kairi, and he were temporarily residing on. Will waved frantically as the trading ship came only a few yards off the isolated land. Captain Bellamy of the ship looked down from the wheel at Will and then at the sleeping Sora and Kairi around the sizzling embers.

"You there," Bellamy called to Will. "What sort of trouble might you be in?"

"Oh, no trouble at all," Will responded casually. "Except that my comrades and I are a tad stranded on this piece of land. Would you mind taking us to the nearest port?"

Sora raised his head up a few inches as he woke up. Kairi was still sleeping a couple of feet away from him. In the sky, a flare of light shined as a small dot shot through the clouds. This drew Sora's attention and woke him up completely. He dashed to the shore, running past Will and the trader ship, completely ignoring the potential new ride. He looked up again, and saw the flying ship. The Celsius! Spastic from bliss and astonishment, Sora tried to draw the Celsius' crew's attention by firing a great bolt of lightning in the air.

Five hundred yards in the air, Sora looked like nothing more than the world's smallest flea. However, the constant lightning bolts created enough flashes and noise to catch Donald's attention. Unless it was a wild electrical Heartless, Donald could think of no other living being that knew the arts of thunder magic.

"Your Majesty!" Donald exclaimed. "Look down there! I think someone's trying to contact us!"

The piloting Mickey looked down from the cockpit and flew the Celsius closer to the land. Breathing out a sigh of relief when he identified Sora, he set a course to land.

Down on land, Sora also breathed out a sigh of relief as he noticed the Celsius had begun its descent. Sora then went back to Kairi to wake the girl up.

"Kairi," Sora whispered as he gently shook Kairi awake. "Hey, I think the king and the others are gonna land nearby!"

"R-really…?" Kairi asked hesitantly, yawning. As she finally came to her senses, her eyes widened. "Really?! That's great! But what about Will and Elizabeth and… and the compass and Jack Sparrow and… the key and the chest?"

Sora wrinkled his nose as he thought for a moment, then tilted and slowly shook his head.

"I don't think we have any further duties here, Kairi," he started. "Our purpose here is to seal the world's keyhole, but I think the keyhole I sealed the last time I was here is still locked. We still haven't met a single Heartless here—"

Kairi nodded in understanding.

"Okay," she said. "But… let's come back sometime and see how everything is and how everyone's doing, okay?"

"Okay," Sora agreed. Will slowly jogged over to them.

"Alright, you two. We just received permission to ride aboard the Edinburgh Trader. They will take us to the nearest port—"

"Will, I don't think…" Sora said carefully. "That Kairi and I will be going with you."

"Oh," Will said.

"We have other things we need to take care of," Kairi explained.

"Ah, I see," said Will. "I remember, Sora, that you were a traveler of some sort. Dealin' with the Heartless again, I presume? That is quite alright. I only seek to save Elizabeth. And to do so, I will need Jack's compass."

The Celsius landed nearby shortly. Will bowed to Sora and Kairi.

"It was great to see you again, Sora," he added. "And pleasure meeting you, Kairi. Good luck faring on your journeys."

Will turned and headed towards the Edinburgh Trader. Mickey, Donald, and Goofy stepped out of their Gummi ship and watched Will leap on board the trading ship alongside Sora and Kairi.

"We'll come back to visit, Will!" Sora called out. "Good luck saving Elizabeth!"

Will bid his farewell with a saluting motion as the Edinburgh trader departed out into the open sea again. Sora and Kairi turned to Mickey, Donald, and Goofy.

"That was Will Turner, right, Sora?" Goofy asked. "I remember him."

"What happened to Elizabeth?" Donald asked.

"And Captain Jack!" Goofy exclaimed.

"Yeah, Jack Sparrow! Where'd he go?" Donald asked.

"Phew," Sora exhaled. "Long story."

"Then let's fly off," Mickey said. "I assume everythin's pretty much settled here?"

"Mhm," said Kairi. "No Heartless here."

Mickey nodded satisfyingly and beckoned everyone to climb back on board the Celsius. Mickey planned on dropping Sora and Kairi off on a different world to lock another keyhole then fly the Celsius to yet another world so Donald, Goofy, and he could work on their own keyhole. It was the only way to battle with time, which leaned in favor of Maleficent. With Maleficent's growing number of Heartless, and who knew how many open worlds with unlocked keyholes, the task laid before Sora, Kairi, Mickey, Donald, and Goofy became exceedingly dire. In addition, Riku was still missing, and his search is yet another task yet to be carried out.

The Celsius blasted off into the sky. The next world and keyhole, and the next venture, waited.


	45. South American Paradise

**Chapter XLV:**

"We're dropping you off here," Mickey announced as the Celsius began its landing on a strange tropical world, one that Sora could not recognize this time. It was not as dense as the deep jungle where he met Tarzan over a year ago. This place was more like Destiny Islands, just lacking the islands part.

"Do you think this world is under a Heartless invasion, King Mickey?" Kairi asked.

"Most likely. But that's up to you and Sora to find out," Mickey replied with a shrug.

"Where will you guys go?" Sora asked.

"To another world, whatever world that may be in need of saving," Donald quacked proudly.

"Well," Mickey chuckled. "We haven't locked any keyholes yet, the only worlds we landed on were Midgar, the homeworld of Yuffie, Cid, and the others like them. And we were goin' to land in Port Royal, but we found you two first, so that one didn't really count. We'll be on our way now to another world."

"Good luck, Sora and Kairi—" Goofy began to say.

"Oh, I almost forgot!" Mickey exclaimed all of a sudden. He rushed over to Sora and Kairi, who were already standing by the exit of the Gummi ship. Mickey withdrew a small keychain.

_Another one?_ Sora remarked to himself. This keychain, though, had a small Gummi ship icon attached to it. It seemed interesting, so Sora could not resist asking. "What's with the Gummi ship symbol?"

"We stopped by the castle and asked for Chip and Dale to make something that can help us contact you or you contact us. That way we can stay in touch."

"Kind of like a telephone, right?" Kairi noted.

Mickey, Donald, and Goofy exchanged looks, and then looked at Sora and Kairi.

"What's a telephone?" Donald asked.

Sora wanted to break out in laughter, but manners forbade him. Kairi restricted herself to a small giggle.

"Never mind," she said.

The Celsius was still hovering over the trees of the new tropical world, its exit door wide open. Sora prepared to jump. Kairi's eyes widened yet again.

"There's nowhere to land, but you two can safely jump it," Mickey said.

"Jump?!" Kairi yelped.

"Kairi's a little afraid of heights…" Sora said.

"Am not!" Kairi countered. "I just don't like jumping."

"But, Kairi," Donald broke in. "I saw you jump down at least fifteen feet to save Sora back in Organization XIII's stronghold!"

"Oh, yeah," Sora said to himself as he recalled being under the weight of a dozen Shadow Heartless and seeing Kairi leap down from over a railing and off a ledge to try and aid him.

"But that's _different!_" Kairi continued to reason, her face noticeably reddening. "I was trying to reach Sora, so I had to jump!"

"Oh, but of course," Donald snickered. "All for Sora, right—"

Goofy covered Donald's mouth with his giant hand to silence the yapping duck.

"Hyuck, go find the keyhole and lock it up, Sora!" Goofy said, while trying to maintain hold on the struggling duck.

"Right. Come on, Kairi," Sora said, grabbing hold of Kairi's hand. "Just another jump, you'll get used to it."

"Ohh…" Kairi groaned before Sora dragged her out of the ship and into the trees.

The Celsius took off shortly and disappeared into the gray-blue sky. Sora and Kairi slipped down the jungle trees and onto the forest floor. It was not a dark and dreary forest and it actually seemed pleasurably serene. Surely there could not be any Heartless about. The birds were singing, the crickets were chirping, and the frogs were croaking. Trees rustled with the light breezes, calm sunrays broke through the canopies and lit up random regions on the forest floor. Life was everywhere and everything seemed just about perfect. Sora and Kairi walked through the forest, enjoying the sights, the smells, and the sounds.

Suddenly, multiple footsteps could be heard farther ahead of Sora and Kairi. Curious, but cautious, Sora told Kairi to stay still. Both of them stood their ground and had their backs planted to a thick tree trunk. In a moment, a yell, a highly panicky one, rang through the forest. This drew out Sora's warrior instincts as he summoned his Keyblade. Kairi did the same, both the Keyblade-wielders held their ground. The sounds of the footsteps grew louder as it drew nearer. And in a moment…

A llama? Or was it an alpaca?

Sora raised his eyebrows in the completely unexpected surprise.

_The llama was screaming?_ he wondered incredulously.

Kairi leaned past the blocking of the tree trunk to see the speedy llama charge through the forest. Without warning, Sora tackled her to the ground. Disoriented, Kairi raised her head to see a line of flying Heartless charge down the same path as the llama, apparently chasing it.

"Heartless," Kairi noted.

"Yeah," Sora said, helping Kairi off the ground. "Hey, sorry if I tackled you too hard…"

"No, it's okay, I'm fine, you didn't tackle too hard… anyway, those Heartless would've trampled me if you didn't get me out of their way," said Kairi. "Now let's get those Heartless and save that poor llama!"

Sora and Kairi pursued the flying Heartless. These Heartless were a new breed, Sora noted. They had four wings, flapping alternately like dragonflies do. And they did resemble dragonflies, with their long abdomen-like body structure… but their long legs were serrated with spikes and bristles, their antennae-like parts transformed into bent back horns, and the mouthparts simplified to dual-fanged mandibles.

A closer look gave Kairi the creeps, but she made the first bold move by cutting one down, causing the winged Heartless to burst into a black and purple puff of smoke. The llama still being chased was as confused as ever. First the Heartless chased after him, now there were two sword-wielding teenagers added into the chasing party. Alarmed, the llama increased his speed.

The Heartless were faster though and eventually caught up to the hapless animal. However, Sora and Kairi had their own solutions for dealing with speed. Sora channeled the element of magnets, sucking together the four or so remaining Dragonfly Heartless while Kairi, now fully used to the workings of fire, incinerated the Dragonfly Heartless with a smooth, yet dense wave of fiery heat. Satisfied with one of their first proficient and well-organized team effort, Sora and Kairi approached the llama cowering with fear.

Apparently the llama was trying to hide behind his "hands." When Sora stood only a foot away, the llama yelped and tripped back a few feet. The human-like attributes, the voice, the spastic behavior, the movements of the forelimbs and hind limbs, and the emotion in the eyes, intrigued Sora.

"Hey," Sora said to the llama. "We won't hurt you—"

"Sora, are you talking to a llama?" Kairi asked.

"Llama?!" the llama cried out. "What?! I'm a_ llama?!_ No wonder I couldn't run! What?! W-what?! _Llama?!_ What's happenin' to me?! I-I—"

"Hey, hey," Sora said, bending to hold onto the convulsing, twitching, and perspiring llama. "Calm down. What do you mean 'I'm a llama?' And 'No wonder I couldn't run?' Didn't you know you were a llama?"

The llama calmed down a bit, but was still panting furiously.

"You sure you two aren't out to get me like those _buzzy_ things?" he asked with a heavy sigh.

"You mean the Heartless? No, we're the good guys," Kairi said.

"Okay," said the llama. A moment of silence passed and the llama turned around to face Sora and Kairi again. "Hi, I'm Kuzco."

He extended his hoof-hand for a handshake. Sora hesitantly shook Kuzco's hand.

"Um, so Kuzco—" Sora started to say.

"No, no. I'll tell you about me first," Kuzco interrupted.

"But I was gonna—" Sora started again.

"I was human just this afternoon!" Kuzco exclaimed. "And then… _Gah!_ My kingdom!"

"Kingdom?" Sora and Kairi asked at the same time.

"Yes, yours truly is _Emperor_ Kuzco, thank you," Kuzco stated quickly. "But how am I gonna go back like _this?!_"

In a moment, Kuzco began to bawl and pounded the forest floor with his hoof-hands and feet. Sora and Kairi simply looked at each other in awe. What was up with the guy? Sora and Kairi could just leave Kuzco alone in the forest and go about their business to find the world's keyhole. Or, the two of them could be generous and help Kuzco come back to his senses.

"Kuzco, how were you a human one moment and now a llama?" Sora asked slowly.

"I don't know!" Kuzco wailed. "I was having an early dinner at Yzma's just a couple of hours ago… Ahh! The sun is setting and I'll never get home! Where's my chair?!"

"Does this guy have like… no attention span or what?" Sora whispered to Kairi.

"Well, if you got turned into a llama, wouldn't you also go a little crazy?" Kairi suggested.

"I got turned into a Heartless and I was fine afterwards," Sora said. "Never mind, that's because I got changed back, heh."

"So Kuzco needs some help getting home, right?" Kairi suggested with a smile.

"Yeah, I guess it's up to us to help him back then," Sora sighed.

Sora and Kairi turned their attention back to the emotionally unstable Kuzco. The llama emperor was still sitting on his rear, kicking his feet like a spoiled child, still sniffling from the long bawling session. Indeed the sun was setting, as Sora ascertained by peering past the canopies. If Kairi and he wished to help Kuzco back to his kingdom, then they had to do it before the forest could turn into a dark, pathless maze.

Sora and Kairi both put a hand on Kuzco's sagging shoulders, one on his left and one on his right, just for showing a sign of support. The llama looked up with his tear-saturated eyes and quivering lip, forcing Sora to sigh and look away.

_Why does it have to be so… hard?_ he complained to himself. _Why can't he just gather himself up and not be such a baby? He sounds like he's at least a young man._

Sora wiped down his face with his free hand and took a deep breath. He took a moment to gather up his patience.

"Hey, we're gonna help you back to your kingdom. Just point out the directions," Sora finally said.

"Nah," Kuzco said. He stood up on all fours and shook the dirt off himself, spraying it all over Sora and Kairi. "I think I can walk home by myself. Shouldn't be that tough. Toodles!"

Kuzco turned and left on the path where he came from, leaving the dirt and compost covered Sora and Kairi in the middle of the forest.

"What a jerk!" Kairi spat all of a sudden. "And to think that we were trying to be nice to him!"

Kairi patted her pink dress. The dirt was everywhere. Sora tried to clean himself up just the same, but, he and Kairi knew it, they were both filthy. Kuzco managed to kick up every piece of dirt on him onto Sora and Kairi.

"Well," Sora sighed after giving up on trying to pick all the gunk off of himself. So much for patience, as Sora rolled his eyes in the direction where Kuzco departed. "Anyway, we better find our way out of here. Maybe we can visit a resting stop outside or something if we can find one, then clean ourselves up."


	46. Village of the Sun

**Chapter XLVI:**

It was fairly easy for Sora and Kairi to find their way out of the forest. All they had to do was backtrack, following the prints that Kuzco made when he tried to flee from the Heartless. Still, a walk is a walk, and the walk out of the forest was quite a long one. To pass time, Sora and Kairi had to find something to talk about.

"Since when were you uncomfortable with jumping, Kairi?" Sora asked. He was curious. Kairi's constant state in disfavor in jumping was something he never knew about.

Kairi walked side by side with Sora, and she gave the question a thought. She shrugged casually.

"I don't know for sure," she said. "Maybe when I was little, maybe I was scared of heights."

"But you're not now, you're just afraid of jumping," Sora assumed.

"Mhm."

"But what about what Donald said? When I saw you in the Castle That Never Was, Organization XIII's stronghold, you did jump. To help me, right?"

"Yeah. I didn't even feel my worry of jumping then," Kairi admitted with a heartfelt grin. "I was only worried about you."

Sora put both his hands behind his head, continuing Kairi and his casual stroll out of the forest. It was gradually getting darker, but there were more than enough hours of light remaining in the day.

"Hey, Sora," Kairi said. "What are you afraid of?"

Sora looked at Kairi confusedly, tilting his head.

_My fears?_ Sora wondered. "Um… I dunno."

"Aw, c'mon, Sora. Anything?" Kairi whined playfully. She giggled. "I won't tell anyone."

"Who _can_ you tell?" Sora joked.

"I can tell Selphie…" Kairi put a finger to her lips in thought.

"Oh," Sora sighed, slapping his forehead as a sign of sarcasm. "Not Selphie!"

"I can tell Naminé…" Kairi winked and pointed to her heart.

Sora waved his hands in a lack of interest.

"Okay—I was afraid of not finding you… y'know, over a year ago. Then it was fine after I made sure you could go home safely. Then you disappeared again, which made me afraid again."

Kairi was smiling, making Sora feel as if his little confessions were little more than jokes.

"Come on, Kairi!" Sora complained. "Wait, did I tell you this before?"

"I remember you said that you were worried about me. Hey! I thought it was sweet," she said, as Sora looked away. She poked the Keyblade master's shoulder. "What else are you afraid of? Don't tell me you were only afraid of not seeing me again…"

"That's basically it. You're_ that_ important to me," Sora said solemnly.

Kairi frowned and made a grab for Sora's hand. Sora turned his head towards Kairi in surprise.

"Not lying?" she asked.

Sora shook his head. He could hear Saïx's ominous voice again.

_["Is she that important to you?' Saïx asked him.  
Sora just spurted his only answer out. Yes.  
"Yeah. More than anything."  
"Show me how important," Saïx ordered.  
At that point Sora would have done anything to see Kairi again. Anything.  
Sora bowed down. He leaned down. He knelt down to the floor into a begging position.  
"Please," Sora said.]_

Of course, Sora had no way of telling Kairi that. What would she think? Not only could he not tell Kairi that she meant everything to him, but there was no way he could possibly tell Kairi that he even begged Saïx to take him to her. Sora kept his answers simple.

"Not lying," he responded. Kairi gripped his hand even tighter. She smiled a radiant smile, making Sora feel warm inside.

"Aww, how _cuuute_," a voice sounded.

Sora and Kairi pivoted to see who was behind them.

"Hi again."

A black llama poked its head out of the bushes. It was only Kuzco. Sora sighed.

"I thought you went on your way already," said Sora. "What are you still doing here?"

"Eh, I fell in a mud hole," Kuzco muttered. He raised his hooves one by one to display the dried mud coatings.

Sora and Kairi each made a face of disgust. The mud smelled horrible. Sora refrained from asking if the mud was actually manure instead. Kairi was thinking of the same thing. The mud definitely did not smell like mud.

"Anyway," Kuzco continued. "Where are you two heading off to?"

Sora massaged his nose, trying to get used to the stench in vain.

"Uh, just anywhere out of the forest—"

"Gotcha, gotcha," Kuzco said. "Wanna come with me? Hey? Uh-that-a-way, to my palace."

"Are you sure you're not lost?" Kairi asked.

"Hey, missy," Kuzco snorted. "This forest is still part of _my_ kingdom! I _assure_ you—I _know_ my way around my kingdom! Okay."

With a camel-like "hmph," Kuzco beckoned Sora and Kairi to follow. The carefree llama emperor trotted down a random path, the hapless Sora and Kairi following closely behind.

_What a mess_, Kairi thought.

Sora's clothes and her clothes were filthy; there was a talking llama with manure-covered feet in front of them, the evening air made the forest feel terribly muggy, and not to mention the days that passed without a decent shower… Kairi never thought of herself as a typical self-conscious teenage girl. Normally she felt fine with however she looked. But_ tidiness _and _cleanliness_ were on a list of things Kairi felt she would always maintain. If this mess dragged on for much longer, Kairi felt as if she would go insane.

An hour passed. Two hours passed. Three hours passed. The sun was down and the moon rose high into the air. As for Sora and Kairi, the two unfortunate teenagers were victimized by Kuzco's lack of common sense and sense of direction.

"Ah! I think we're almost there," Kuzco declared.

_Give up_, Sora wanted to say. _I think we would've been there by now if we made that turn hours ago…_

Kairi was on the verge of becoming hysterical. She felt extremely unpleasant with the dirt and sticky perspiration all over her. Her feet ached, too, even though she thought by now the traveling would have strengthened her muscles.

"Um… your _highness?_" Kairi started to say.

"Give up, already!" Sora blurted out. Kairi shut her mouth to let Sora protest instead. "Come on! Even I know that '_that way_' would have gotten us out of the forest!"

"Oh?" Kuzco hummed. He stuck his snout close to Sora's face. "Then feel free to lead the way, O Mighty One."

Sora groaned in aggravation. Out of all the worlds, Kairi and he had to end up on one easy to get lost in. Out of all the people on this world, Kairi and he _had_ to get matched up with the most dim-witted, talking llama to have ever existed. Not that they met talking llamas everyday, but point given, Sora could not stand Kuzco any longer. He had to wonder, how do the people in the kingdom stand this emperor?

In less than thirty minutes, Sora successfully stepped on a surface other than moss and dirt. He smirked proudly at Kuzco, who simply ignored him. Kairi heaved a great sigh of relief. Before them lied the edge of a cliff, with a long wooden bridge that connected to another cliff, apparently to the nearest town or village. Eager to see some civilization of some sort, Sora and Kairi rushed past the bridge, leaving Kuzco behind. Sora could not care any less, but he took a few glances over his shoulder to check up on the llama that followed unenthusiastically.

Beyond the village were hills high and low. On the highest hill, however, settled Kuzco's palace. At least they were out of the forest, a thought that pleased Sora.

"Okay, then," Kuzco spoke abruptly. "I guess I'll be on my way."

He walked down to another path, evidently one that was bound for the palace. Sora and Kairi still thought of Kuzco as a strange being.

"Oh, yes," Kuzco said after trotting off a few feet. "Enjoy your stay, er…?"

"I'm Sora and she's Kairi," Sora responded quickly.

"Gotcha," Kuzco said, making a clicking sound with his mouth. In a moment, he departed out of sight.

Sora stretched his arms and took a deep breath.

"Pretty strange guy, huh?" Sora remarked.

"He's so weird," Kairi agreed. "But if we're gonna stay here for a while, I bet we'll be seeing a lot more of him."

That was a logical conclusion, one that Sora did not prefer but had to accept. Kairi and he strolled off from the dirt path that Kuzco took and entered the nearby village instead. It was a cozy appearing township, similar to the ones established across Destiny Islands. Destiny Islands did, though, have more urbanized regions. This world Sora and Kairi were in, however, seemed relatively primitive. The villagers, for example, wore nothing more than togas, robes, or, as Sora noticed one man wear, a cotton poncho. The majority of the homes were huts or small cottages. Even the shops were small, with most being merely vending booths with one or two people managing the small businesses.

Kairi wanted nothing more than something to clean herself up with. Soap would be a priceless item for her right now. On the other hand, Sora was more concerned with finding a place to stay. If need be, he would have to shell out his leftover munny from his previous journeys.

"We need to clean ourselves up, Sora," Kairi stated. "Look at us."

"Then we will need another set of clothes," said Sora. "Temporary ones—"

"Maybe those," Kairi said, pointing to a small shop selling robes, tunics, and other simple clothing. "Then we could blend in with everyone else, too."

It was a good idea, Sora had to admit. Just like when he traveled with Donald and Goofy, their attire had to match the styles of the residents in whatever world they were in, such as Halloween Town and Atlantica. Thus, Sora picked through his pockets for the polyhedral beads, the munny he collected through his adventures.

Kairi picked out a thin, ashen-pink robe and Sora chose a baggy-looking black and blue tunic. Curious, the clerk, who was working on some fabrics, could not help but interview Sora and Kairi.

"You kids aren't from around here, are you?" the clerk asked.

Sora and Kairi shook their heads.

The clerk became aware of their soiled clothes.

"What mess did you two get in?" he asked.

"Long story," Sora answered. He put the robe and the tunic on the counter. "How much are these?"

"The robe is six hundred. The tunic is two-fifty," said the clerk.

Sora raised his eyebrows at Kairi, who giggled in return. Kairi mouthed a sorry at the outrageous pricing. Even so, Sora spilled a wad of munny onto the counter, beads ranging from miniature singles to giant twenties and fifties.

"Any idea where we can stay for the night?" Sora asked after paying for the clothes.

"Ask around," the clerk replied. "You're bound to find some kind soul somewhere. This is a friendly village. An old one that's been around for quite a while."

"Oh, are you two young travelers looking for a place to stay?" a woman's voice sounded close by.

"There you go," the clerk said to Sora before turning away to mind his work.

Sora and Kairi turned around to see a fairly tall woman carrying a bag of groceries. Odd, the woman was pregnant, but she was doing chores regardless. Her hair was tied back with a large green headband. On both her ears dangled huge, red oval earrings. She appeared sincere, and seemed so after showing a friendly smile.

"If you would be so kind," she said. "Would you mind helping me carry these bags to my cottage? In return, you two can stay for the night."

Sora looked at Kairi for any suggestions. Both lacked any better ideas; they both shrugged at each other.

"Sure," Sora said at last. He handed Kairi the clothes while he picked up two large bags of food and other groceries.

"Thank you," the woman said gratefully, wiping a bead of sweat from her forehead. "You can call me Chicha. Normally, I would ask my husband to do the shopping and carry these, but he went on an errand earlier this afternoon."

Chicha went on her way. Sora and Kairi stood around, looking at each other for answers. Sora shrugged again. If this lady was willing to offer them a place to stay for the night, then why refuse? Thus, Sora and Kairi followed Chicha further into the village, where most of the villagers' homes were centered. It was still rather early in the evening, but it was growing dark enough that many working villagers were heading back in for the day. Sora and Kairi followed Chicha to her home, a cozy looking cottage that looked just like the rest in the tiny township.

Chicha opened the door and out charged two young children, a lanky girl and a small, chubby little boy. Both seemed incredibly hyperactive, and just watching the two kids run around made Sora and Kairi tired. To the teens' surprise, Chicha was able to establish authority right away.

"Chaca, Tipo! Both of you," she scolded. "Your father will be home later tonight. And look, we have guests, so behave yourselves."

"Pee-yoo!" the little boy chirped. "You guys _smell!_"

Sora opened his mouth to argue, but held back and chuckled forcibly instead. Kairi giggled at the little boy's humor.

"Tipo!" Chicha yelled. "What did I say about behaving yourself? Back inside—now. Go on!"

"Yes, mommy," the little boy chirped again before he scampered back into the cottage with his sister. Chicha sighed.

"Little kids, I hope Tipo wasn't too offending…" Chicha said apologetically, sighing again.

"That's okay, he's little," Kairi giggled again. "We don't mind, right, Sora?"

"Uh, yeah!" Sora responded. "Hey, um… Chicha? Is there any place we can wash our clothes?"

"Of course," said Chicha. "In the back, there are scrubs, water, and soap. There's some space if you would like to get changed, too. Make yourselves comfortable while you stay here."

"Thank you," Sora and Kairi said together as they both hurried away. Sora dropped the bags of groceries on a nearby counter. He took the time to look around the cottage, noticing the simplicity of everything around him. Undeniably, this was a nice, friendly little village, but the Heartless threat was probably still unknown to the villagers. Kairi and he had little time to relax.


	47. King's Caller

**Chapter XLVII:**

"What?" a gaunt old woman screamed. "A llama?"

Yzma and Kronk were pacing about in Yzma's secret basement laboratory. It was just hours before they carried out Yzma's diabolical plan for exterminating Kuzco and taking over the Kingdom Under the Sun. The plan was to first poison Kuzco and then find a way to dispose the emperor's body.

"He's supposed to be _dead!_" Yzma continued to complain.

"Yeah, weird," said Kronk, a hefty yet comically looking young man.

But Kuzco was not exterminated. He became a llama instead and gracelessly departed, completely oblivious to his new appearance. Yzma regretted not finishing the job herself. The shock of seeing the emperor as a llama held her in place for a fairly long while…

"Let me see that vial," Yzma ordered.

Kronk handed her a small glass vial labeled with a skull sticker. Or at least it_ looked_ like a skull. Yzma adjusted the sticker so that it was completely stretched out. For a moment, she wanted to bash Kronk's head in.

"This isn't poison!" the old woman screeched. "This is extract of_ llama!_"

"Y'know, in my defense, your poisons all look alike," Kronk countered with a shrug. "You might want to think about relabeling some of them."

Yzma groaned in renunciation and frustration, and left her laboratory. Kronk still held a plate of steamed broccoli. It was his specialty.

"Go to town and finish the job now!" Yzma yelled from another room.

Kronk examined his broccoli.

"Uh, what about dinner—"

"Kronk," Yzma muttered, coming back into the laboratory. "This is kind of important."

"How about dessert?"

"Well… I suppose there's time for dessert—"

"And coffee?"

"All right!" Yzma grumbled. "A quick cup of coffee. And_ then_ go out and finish the job!"

* * *

"How do I look, Sora?" Kairi asked cheerfully. The new robe she wore hung loosely around her, draped from the shoulder to a little past her knees. It was relatively the same color as her normal dress, a light to ashen pink.

"Looks good," he said, giving Kairi a thumbs-up.

Sora was dressed in his black and blue tunic. It was not as baggy and loose as his normal clothes, but he reminded himself that these garments were just temporary. Besides, the clothes Kairi and he had on at the moment were not suitable for combat.

"You seem a little uncomfortable," Kairi commented. "Anything wrong?"

Sora stood up and looked around him.

"What if this village gets attacked by the Heartless?" he pointed out. "These guys are totally defenseless."

"Then it's up to us." Kairi said, smiling.

_Yeah, us_, Sora told himself.

He was used to these travels to distant worlds, worlds that he would never have dreamed of seeing in his life. But something was missing on these recent travels. Sora was happy Kairi was with him, but these travels no longer felt the same as his previous ones.

"You still look a little roughed up, Sora," Kairi said again.

"Eh," Sora sighed. "I wonder what Donald and Goofy are up to? And the king…"

Kairi reached into one of Sora's large pockets and pulled out a keychain. She waved the metallic icon in front of Sora.

"Remember this?" Kairi asked, still waving the keychain around. "Something about contacting—"

"Oh, right," said Sora. He completely forgot that he had that small gift from Mickey. "Now how do you use this…?"

Sora took the keychain from Kairi and examined the Gummi symbol indented into the keychain's ornament. Experience told him to try to attach the keychain to a Keyblade first, which Sora did. The Oblivion faded away as a glowing light transformed Sora's Keyblade. The hilt and the blade became a completely new weapon… or something that resembled a weapon. Instead of materializing into a deadly sword like the Oblivion, the new Keyblade was somewhat docile in appearance. The edges of the blade were dull, the tip blunt. Sora was about to protest this abnormality of a weapon before the new Keyblade displayed its first quirk.

The sword floated out of Sora's hands, surprising both Kairi and him. Continuously glowing, the weapon leveled its tip to point directly towards the ground then fired a blue helical beam onto the floor. First, a humming sound resonated through the room. But then came a familiar voice.

_Wak!_

"Donald?" Sora questioned.

"Sora!" Donald's voice sounded somewhere. "Your Majesty, your Majesty, Sora got the keychain to work!"

Sora and Kairi snuck glances at each other before staring back at the helical beam. The sounds coming from the Keyblade were crystal clear. Sora could even hear Donald's frantic footsteps skittering away and the voice of Mickey sounding farther off. Goofy's voice could also be heard in the background, chuckling and chortling away.

"Sora!" Mickey called out. "You got the keychain to work?"

"I guess," said Sora. "But how do I turn this off?"

"Beats me," Mickey responded. "You're gonna have to ask Chip and Dale that."

"Yeah, but…"

There was a knock on the door.

"Hey, what's that noise in there?"

"Um…" Sora speedily yanked the Keyblade out of the air and detached the keychain. Fortunately for Sora and Kairi, the humming stopped and the Keyblade returned to its natural form.

"Nothing, uh..." Kairi called out.

"I heard a noise in there!" Tipo's chirping voice sounded.

Instantaneously, the marauding Tipo, whose curiosity knew no bounds, banged the room's door open. He bustled across the wooden floor, nearly tripping over both Sora and Kairi, in search of the humming noise. Rags covering the windows were yanked down, clouds of dust were completely blown out of the underside of the beds, and yet the little boy was oblivious to the mayhem he was causing.

Kairi stood dumbfounded at first at the chaos. But when the clouds of dust piled up in the air, she grimaced and inched into the corner of the room. Sora, on the other hand, wanted to laugh at the mess. Never before in his life had he seen such a mess. Not even his room in Destiny Islands was ever this messy. Yet the young Tipo did not give up and ransacked the room for another long ten minutes. It was then he plopped onto the floor in defeat.

"Surrendering already?" Sora teased. "It's only been ten minutes."

"N—Ah—" Tipo gasped. "Ah… ah-_choo!_"

Sora chuckled as the spunky little boy shook the dust off of his bare back.

"Tipo, Tipo!" Chaca squealed as she slid into the room. "Dad's h—Tipo! You're a mess! I'm telling Mom!"

Just as quickly as she entered, Chaca disappeared back down the hall. Little Tipo spastically got up on his feet and chased after his older sister, screaming in a mix of raucous excitement and protest.

Again, it was just Sora and Kairi by themselves, both standing in the middle of the devastated room. Indeed it seemed as if a natural disaster did rip through, since barely a single spot in the room was left rightside up or untouched. Scratching his head, Sora wondered how Chicha dealt with her kids on a daily basis.

"I don't think I could _ever_ have kids," Sora grumbled. "I mean, just look around us!"

"Well," Kairi snickered. "We're still kids, kinda, right?"

"Yeah, but we_ know_ better…"

"Psh, sure, Sora," Kairi scoffed playfully. "Remember how you and Riku always threw coconuts at Selphie, me, and other girls back when we were like… five?"

Sora remembered. It was like a classic activity Riku, he, and the other boys did back when they were little. They did not just throw them at girls though, if they saw older boys or girls, coconuts were thrown without hesitance. Sora scratched his head again and shrugged.

"Nope," he lied.

"Coconuts, Sora! Those hurt!" Kairi objected.

"Fine, when we get home, I'll let you throw coconuts at me and Riku, okay, Kairi?" Sora offered with a laugh.

Kairi flipped her hair diffidently and nodded in agreement.

"Anyway, that was over ten years ago. We grow up eventually, you know?" Sora said.

"I know," Kairi agreed. Then she stared at Sora deviously and winked. "But I'm still gonna get you and Riku back."

Suddenly, Sora felt a tingling static feeling in his back pocket. He reached in and realized it was the Gummi keychain that was bothering him. Sora picked through his collection of keychains until he located and retrieved the Gummi-stamped one. The keychain was glowing with a bluish radiance. Were the King, Donald, and Goofy trying to contact Kairi and him? Sora knew that if he reattached the keychain to his Keyblade, the threat of Tipo charging back into the room would be imminent.

"Aren't you going to attach the keychain?" Kairi asked Sora after realizing the Keyblade master did nothing but stare at the keychain.

Sora nodded and again replaced his Memories Past keychain with the Gummi-stamped one. Again the Keyblade transformed into a blunt sword and released a blue helical beam towards the ground. The process seemed faster than before, probably because the keychain itself called for Sora to attach it. The weapon hummed… and soon the voices of Mickey, Donald, and Goofy could once again be heard in the distance. But there was another set of voices that could be identified though: Chip and Dale's. Eager to say hello, Sora sat down on the ground and called out.

"Hey, you guys, are you all in the same spot or something?" Sora asked.

"—Oh! Sora!" Mickey's voice sounded. "I was thinkin' that you didn't get our message."

"So you tried to contact Sora?" Kairi asked.

"Yup! That's right. Right now it's me, Donald, and Goofy in the Gummi ship with Chip and Dale on the transmissions screen—"

"Hey, Sora!" Chip and Dale called out simultaneously. "Can ya hear us? How do ya like the keychain we made?"

"Um, it's pretty cool," Sora responded, examining in the newly modified Keyblade a little more closely. "What do you call it?"

The chipmunks could be heard whispering to each other.

"Eh, we gave one to the king too," Dale reported. "He calls it the 'Gummi Transmit' keychain. Pretty simple, right?"

"Simple indeed," Kairi commented. "What about the Keyblade itself? Does it have a special name too?"

"Of course!" Chip squeaked. "We named it the 'King's Caller.' Makes sense if ya think about it. His Majesty uses it to contact ya both, and ya can do the same back to him!"

Sora and Kairi looked at each other and shrugged.

"Sounds good," said Sora as he returned his attention to the blue light. "Oh, yeah, I've been meaning to ask you two. How do you turn this whole thing off… er, the normal way. I sort of just yanked the Keyblade out of the air before."

"I figured out a nice way, Sora," Mickey declared. "Use magic. Imagine you're turnin' the contactor off. Give it a try."

Sora figured as much. It was natural that physical methods were usually obsolete when compared to the things magic could do, hence another reason why Merlin was so pushy in getting Sora back on track with magic and getting Kairi initiated with magic. All of a sudden, Sora remembered that he still had to work with Kairi and her magic. All Kairi mastered—or nearly mastered—so far was the fire element.

_Yet another thing on my long to-do list_, Sora thought.

He closed his eyes and channeled the energy within him. Sure enough, the humming died away and the helical blue beam of light faded out as the King's Caller dropped onto the ground with a weightless clank.

Kairi, amused and interested, lifted up the Keyblade.

"How do you do that?" Kairi asked quietly. "Sometimes I know for sure how to use magic, and sometimes… actually usually, I don't understand how it works."

Sora's Keyblade disappeared from Kairi's hand and reappeared within his own. Kairi summoned her Oathkeeper.

"Sometimes you just know… and sometimes you learn, I guess," Sora answered, as he reattached the Memories Past keychain and twirled the reborn Oblivion. "But, these magic questions. I dunno, you're gonna have to ask Merlin about it."

"Yeah, but too bad we're stuck in this little village," Kairi droned. "And this… smelly world."

Sora laughed.


	48. Old Friend

**Chapter XLVIII:**

Sora and Kairi left the room later in the night when both Tipo and Chaca headed for bed. In the kitchen, Chicha worked diligently to clean up the dishes. For a pregnant woman, Chicha worked fast and efficiently, much to Sora and Kairi's surprise. However, Chicha was not alone; a stocky looking man in a green poncho stood nearby, drying and setting the clean dishes and silverware aside. Sora figured the man was probably Chicha's husband.

Both the Keyblade-wielding teens slid by the kitchen, trying their best not to disturb the working couple. But Chicha had above average senses, for not even silence could go unnoticed by her. She turned and greeted them.

"Hey, there," Chicha said, drying off her hands with a towel. She dragged her husband, who was still holding onto a few plates, over to Sora and Kairi. "Pacha, these are the two young travelers that will be staying for a bit."

Pacha placed the plates on a nearby counter and dried off his hands.

"We have guests? Oh, and you're just kids too!" he turned to Chicha. "Honey, you didn't tell me we had guests over."

"Uh, _yes_, I did," Chicha said, raising her eyebrows in question at the same time. "I told you while we were eating? And I told you how I bumped into them and everything."

"Right!" Pacha exclaimed, trying to escape from impending trouble. "Now, uh, what are your names… uh, kids?"

"I'm Sora—"

"—and I'm Kairi."

"Sora and Kairi, huh," Pacha repeated. "Ah, okay. I have a question… or questions, um… where are you two from? And, uh… where are you two heading?"

Sora and Kairi looked at each other.

_No way we should tell them about the Keyblades, the darkness, Maleficent, the Heartless, the Nobodies, and all that junk!_ Sora told himself._ I doubt they would believe it anyway…_

Based on Kairi's facial expression, Sora figured the girl was thinking the same thing. What else could they do but to make something up?

"We're, umm—"

"Not from around here," said Kairi. "We're, uh, from an island away from here…"

Sora eyed Kairi cautiously. Kairi eyed back and shrugged.

"An island?" Pacha repeated, more to himself. "How did you guys get here then?"

"W-we…" Sora droned. He thought carefully, improvising as he went along. "Um, we were kind of exploring on a raft… and we stumbled onto here. So, yeah, we decided to have a look around."

"Nice," Kairi whispered from the corner of her mouth.

"Yeah, and…" Sora continued. "A-and, um… we're just on our way out. You know, to explore and stuff?"

"Uh huh," Kairi added. "Gonna get something to eat too… and, uh—"

"We have leftovers," Chicha offered. "Or you can have Pacha show you around the village."

"If you want, I can definitely show you kids around," Pacha added in support. "I can tell just by the way you two talk and act that you're_ definitely_ not from around here."

"Like we said," Sora said with a shrug, taking up on Pacha's proposal.

It was dark outside, but there were still some people, mostly vendors, around the village square. Evidently, even if Sora and Kairi wished to "tour" the area, doing so at night was not at all logical. Nonetheless, unbeknownst to Pacha, all Sora wanted to do was to find the world's keyhole. It was generally the same for Kairi, though the girl was much more inquisitive and wished to do some actual exploring. Bound by duty, Sora had to remind Kairi why they were on the world in the first place.

_Whatever happened to the carefree Sora?_ Kairi asked herself.

It was not the first time she asked the question either. Over the past years, Sora's role as the chosen Keyblade master entangled him in a universe of turmoil. Kairi could see the gradual changes. Even though Sora was still fairly naïve and happy-go-lucky at times, the "serious" Sora seemed to appear more often recently. And it really bothered Kairi, even if all she could do at the time was look on. It pained her.

"Is there something wrong, Kairi?" Sora asked out of the blue. "You look a little stressed."

_Really?_ Kairi rubbed her face to try and loosen herself up.

Sora smirked and continued to walk alongside her while Pacha walked a few feet up ahead. But he kept his attention on Kairi.

"Hey, if it's about me being really boring right now, I'm sorry," Sora apologized.

"H-huh, w-what?" Kairi stammered.

Sora figured he hit the spot.

"We can't spend our time here window-shopping, Kairi," he groaned, almost in a whining tone. "We've got work to do, remember?"

"Oh, I know," said Kairi. "Can't we_ at least_ get something to eat—"

"I know just the place!" Pacha interrupted. "Come with me, you two."

* * *

In the corridors of an exotic appearing community, a dark portal opened. Riku stepped out, eager to see some light after a prolonged travel through the abyss. Riku sneered at himself. How ironic was it that he could not stand staying in the dark and required the rays of the sun. His hands emitted potent dark auras, proving his physical being was linked with the powers of darkness. A stray tear dripped from Riku's eyes and evaporated into the air before it could reach his hands. His heart ached.

_Why did I come back to this?_ Riku felt the question sift through his mind.

It was a question he could not answer. For the sake of his friends, his family, his home… he had to. For him, desperate times called for the most efficient way to deal with things. For nearly two years, the power of darkness had not failed him. If it meant burning his heart out, changing his physical appearance until he became another entity…

Riku shook his head violently to get rid of any weak thoughts. He yanked his Way to the Dawn out and sprinted noiselessly down the halls. He felt that this was the right world to go to, as if his Keyblade actually told him to come here. Still, after his ineffective search in Port Royal, Riku had his doubts. Regardless, it was still necessary to search this world for an open keyhole. Who knew, it was possible the Heartless or the Nobodies could carry out a full-scale assault at any moment.

"Who's there?"

_Guards_, Riku noted to himself as he leapt up towards the ceiling as silently and as smoothly as he could.

A guard, patroller, or official of some sort dressed in a heavy, red robe slowly approached the spot where Riku was standing moments ago. The man wore a giant yellow, mask-like hat over his head, covering a great portion of his face. If Riku could get a look at the eyes, he could tell if the man was either a veteran guard or a harmless official.

For the time being, Riku could not risk getting himself into a fight. He had work to do. But the man would not move from the spot.

_Damn him_, Riku cursed to himself. He had to do something before he loses his footing and grip along the crevices of the ceiling.

"Sleep," Riku whispered softly.

A few dark red beams of light traversed toward the man from one of Riku's hands, wrapped around the man's face, and then slowly faded away. Almost instantly—and without remonstration—the man made a small gurgling noise and dropped to the floor, snoring quietly afterwards. Riku slipped down from the ceiling and examined the peaceful slumberer.

Riku found no weapons on the man and decided that the man was probably no more than an official of some sort in the enclosed community he was in. Resuming his plans, Riku took off again down the hall until he reached an elevator.

_Up or down?_

Riku mashed the "up" button of the elevator and stepped in. If he could get a high enough aerial view, maybe he would know where to look. But when Riku stepped out onto the next floor, he found himself surrounded with rooms that resembled dormitories. Some of the doors were open and drowsy snores could be heard from the inside.

_Where the heck am I?_ Riku pondered, partially annoyed.

The area seemed nothing like a place Heartless would attack unless this world was somehow linked with others in some way. Riku thought for a moment and decided to enter one of the open rooms…

"Wh—" Riku almost spurted out.

The sleeping young man, appearing slightly older than Riku, was none other than…

"L-Leon?" Riku coughed.

Riku spoke a little too loudly though, as Leon jolted awake and immediately tossed a dagger in Riku's direction. Riku dodged to the side to avoid the serrated object, simultaneously feeling the wisp of air brushing past his cheek. The dagger struck the wooden frame of the door, but much to Riku's shock, the dagger was thrown hard enough that the air cut his cheek.

Leon's Gunblade at the time was already pointed at Riku's face, but was dropped when Leon let loose a quiet gasp. Leon, still in his battle clothes—in the entirety of his fur-ruffed, black leather jacket, chained and belted leather pants, and his signature Griever necklace—stared in awe at Riku, whom he recognized right away. Sora's descriptions of the Keyblade master matched right away, which clicked within Leon's mind.

"A friend of Sora's, right? You must be Riku," Leon noted quietly and calmly. He picked up his Gunblade and hesitated for a brief moment. "_Are_ you Riku? Or are you Xehanort in Riku's body?"

"I'm Riku," Riku murmured right away, wiping a trickle of blood from his cheek. "Not anyone else. You're Leon right? Sora mentioned you quite a few times."

Leon walked over to the doorframe and wrenched out the dagger he threw at Riku.

"You can call me Leon. But here, I'm Squall Leon_hart_."

"Squall?" Riku reiterated. "Why'd you change your name before then?"

"Long story."

Leon sat on his bed and cracked his neck. He muttered something that Riku could not hear and leaned his head on the wall.

"Anyway," Leon sighed as he continued. "What brings you here, Riku?"

Riku summoned his Keyblade and jabbed the tip into the ground defiantly. Leon raised his eyebrow in an interesting fashion and grunted as he was quite impressed to see yet another Keyblade.

"I'm looking for this world's keyhole," said Riku. "The Heartless have returned."

Leon closed his eyes and got up from his resting position.

"Isn't that Sora's job?" he asked.

"He's busy," Riku said quickly, his eyes briefly flaring. "King Mickey, Sora, and I are splitting the work load. Each of us is trying to seal as many keyholes as we can to block off the Heartless."

"Riku," Leon interrupted. "You _can't_ block off the Heartless for good. As long as—"

"—As long as darkness exists in people's hearts there will be more Heartless, yeah, I know…" Riku muttered. "It's just… my world has been trashed by the Heartless already and… I just want to wipe as many of them out as I can."

"And sealing the keyholes will do the trick?" Leon inquired half-jokingly. "I'm kidding. Alright, listen. Feel free to look around, Riku. I do have to tell you, though, that this world—my world, was attacked by the Heartless many years ago just like the Heartless attacked yours recently. And yes, sealing the keyholes will help restore the balance between light and darkness eventually. But no matter what, Riku, whenever the balance is upset by a surge in the darkness in people's hearts, there will be no stopping the Heartless from coming back."

Riku listened intently. They were grave facts, facts that Riku already knew but could do nothing about. Mickey knew just as well, and so did Sora. So what were they doing now? What good could mere Keyblades do against something that could not be vanquished?

"What do you suggest I… er, _we_, the king, Sora, Kairi, and I do then?"

Leon shifted his feet.

"Kairi's in on this too?"

_Uh, oops._ It was too late for Riku to take back his words. "Yeah, she's with Sora right now. Or at least I hope she still is."

"A princess of heart out fighting the Heartless… how paradoxical," Leon sighed. "Usually it is the Heartless that hunt the princesses of heart, not the other way around."

"Kairi has her own Keyblade," Riku added.

_Endless wonders_, Leon remarked. "That's… quite interesting. Well, Riku, you better be careful here in Balamb Garden. You're in an enclosed academy right now and there is security in nearly every corner. Watch your step here. In the morning, I will meet you by the lobby, and you can tell me what's been happening ever since the Heartless returned."

_A story telling session. Great_, Riku thought, rolling his eyes in indifference. But based upon the opinions of Mickey and Sora, Leon was a stanch ally. Riku only hope that he could fare well in Balamb Garden, and Sora and Kairi could fare just the same wherever they were.


	49. The Village at Night

**Chapter XLIX:**

Sora slurped noisily out of the bowl of food before him. He did not know what was in the bowl, but he did know that it was very appetizing. Kairi and Pacha watched as Sora ravenously devoured his meal, both of them amazed and somewhat disgusted at the same time. Sora shelled out some more munny as he ordered yet another serving. Kairi was already full quite a while ago, but she continued to watch in amazement at Sora's seemingly insatiable hunger.

"Kairi, was it?" Pacha asked after a period of observation. "Has he always been like this?"

Honestly, Kairi never noticed.

"Sorry, just haven't had a good meal for a long time," said Sora. He dug his face into a new bowl. "Almost done—"

"Sora, you pig!" Kairi scolded as she gently smacked the backside of Sora's head. "Don't shove your whole face in there. There are forks here for a reason…"

Sora rubbed his head and picked up a fork.

"Sorry again," Sora sung.

Before Sora dug into his bowl for another bite, a heavy, fibrous shingle from a nearby roof slid down and landed on the table. Bystanders turned their heads at the loud crash. Sora, who was closest to the fallen shingle, fell back from his chair and stared up towards the roof. As soon as he did, another barrage of torn shingles came crashing down. Sora darted backwards to evade the falling panels. This was not a mere loosening of shingles on the roof, he decided. Something or someone was pushing the shingles down.

"Be right back," Sora whispered to Kairi.

Sora leapt onto the roof to investigate…

Nothing.

"Sora!" Kairi's voice sounded. Yelps and screams and cries from the nearby villagers erupted moments later.

"What the—"

Sora pivoted to see what was happening below him. But before he could get a good footing on the roof, something pushed him from behind. Sora crashed headfirst toward the ground, but he managed to agilely get his hands and feet to strike the land first. A little unsettled, Sora quickly turned his attention to the noise around him. The small number of villagers out in the night panicked in total disarray.

Kairi rushed over to Sora, her Keyblade gripped tightly in her hand.

"Kairi, what's up with the villagers?" Sora asked.

Kairi pointed her Keyblade towards the sky, the sides of the booths, stands, and cottages, and the roofs of many edifices. Sora looked to every direction Kairi pointed to and narrowed his eyes in spite. Heartless. Heartless of all sorts: the basic Shadows and Neoshadows, the swift Soldiers and Armored Knights, and the flying Dragonflies and Emerald Blues. Sora knew immediately he had to act as fast as he could to take control of the situation. He had to do the first part last. Actual combat with the Heartless had to be postponed; the well-being of the villagers outweighed the disposal of the Heartless.

This Sora knew. He motioned to Kairi to literally herd the scattered villagers and vendors out of the surrounding areas and out to somewhere safe. Sora hurried over to the bewildered Pacha and shoved him awake.

"Pacha, get moving! Go home and lock your doors and windows, there are Heartless here!" Sora cried frantically. "Kairi and I can take care of this."

Pacha felt his head whirl out of his blank state.

_Heartless?_ he thought to himself. _What on earth is happening here? Who are these kids?_

Those questions had to be left unanswered for Pacha as Sora pushed him away again and waved his Keyblade towards the inner parts of the village.

"Come on," he said. "I bet there's more down there!"

"More what?" Pacha wondered out loud.

Kairi shot out a bullet of flame to take down a Dragonfly Heartless hovering towards their group just in time.

"Heartless," she muttered at the cloud of dusty smoke that were the remains of the Heartless. "I guess we can tell you some stories after we clean the village up."

Baffled, awed, and horrified at the same time, Pacha found himself slowly following Sora and Kairi as the two young warriors endlessly slashed about and shot forth waves of magical spells. Most of the villagers that were out in the open were now hiding within their homes or nearby cottages. Those who were alraedy indoors or sleeping were now peering out of their windows in search for the source of the commotion.

Pacha stood idly, helpless amidst the bedlam. Once in a while, he would duck his head as a dissipating Heartless crumbled through the air. And sometimes he would simply stare, mouth hanging loosely open. In time, though, after Sora and Kairi brought down the last of the invading Heartless force, a tranquil silence returned to the village. In actuality, a decent amount of time passed, though it felt like seconds to Sora and Kairi. On the other hand, for Pacha—and the other common folk—the battle seemed to last a whole night. It was due to the fact that none of the villagers have ever lived in the face of war before; they only knew peace.

Sora let out a deep breath in triumph and chuckled as he called off his Keyblade.

"Hey, Kairi," he said with a smile. "Is it just me, or are you getting better at this every day?"

Kairi felt herself blush at the unusual compliment. It never occurred to her that being called a good fighter would be a nice, flattering remark. She shrugged.

"Maybe it's just you," she answered coyly. "Or maybe you're the one that's getting better."

"Ah, you know you're getting better at this…" Sora returned, trailing off as he remembered Pacha was still hanging around. "Oh yeah, um, Pacha—"

Pacha had his whole body pasted against the wall of a nearby cottage. He was drenched in sweat.

"Pacha, are you okay?" Sora asked. "You look completely worn out."

"Uh, I-I-I… uh, uh," Pacha blathered incoherently. "W-w-what's going on, h-here? What w-were those th-things-s? I-I… I've never seen those… things h-here before!"

Kairi strolled over and patted Pacha's giant belly.

"It's okay, when I first saw the Heartless I was a bit nervous, too." Kairi said reassuringly. "Actually, I don't think I was ever that scared before…"

Several villagers cautiously exited their homes to catch a glimpse of Sora and Kairi. They were just as perplexed as Pacha. It was merely piled on attention that Sora and Kairi grew evermore accustomed to as they visited foreign worlds. There were murmurs, some gasping sounds as older villagers realized Sora and Kairi's ages. Eh, whatever, Sora thought, shrugging in attempt to brush the attention away.

_What a crazy day_, Pacha thought to himself. _First, the emperor plans on destroying this village to make room for his ridiculous summer home, and now supernatural warrior kids?_

"We'll tell you what's going on if you want, Pacha," Sora suggested. "It's sort of a story we basically told everyone else we met on our trips. Let's go back to your house, okay?"

Good idea… Pacha thought. All he did was nod, though, as his mouth still hung open while he rose to his feet.


	50. Next Steps

**Chapter L:**

"Where was_ I_ when all this happened…?" Leon mumbled.

"Well, here, back in your world, I'm guessing…" Riku said slowly. "Eventually the Heartless will find their way here, too."

Leon and Riku leaned casually against a stone wall in the lobby of Balamb Garden. They were pretty much alone, aside from occasional students—would-be SeeD operatives—that wandered to and fro. Leon was only beginning to take in the story of Riku's current journey.

"Well," he started. "It already happened years ago. Perhaps we can brace ourselves for an attack this time—if we know whether an actual attack will commence…"

Riku grunted in agreement. As he turned to leave, he remembered something.

"By the way," he said. "You don't mind if I knocked out a couple of guards on my way here, do you?"

"Was this last night or this morning?" Leon asked.

"Last night."

"Hopefully they did not see your face. The guards here are fairly adept at their jobs," Leon responded with a smirk.

"Anyway," Riku said quickly. "I'm going to take a look around this place, before I try to find the keyhole."

He leapt into the air and quickly departed the scene before Leon could say anything.

_I hope everything will turn out in our favor in the meantime_, Leon thought.

The warrior's mind was boggled. He thought, months ago, nearly a year ago, that they have solved Kingdom Hearts. He, for one, thought that he had done his job, and that he could finally return to a restored home. But that was then, and in a short time he now faced the same threat once again. Darkness. The Heartless. Maleficent. Kingdom Hearts. They were the same thing according to Leon. And then there was Riku and the Keyblade master's control over the power of darkness. The unnatural combination rattled Leon. He shook his head.

"All the same," he muttered under his breath.

"What's all the same?" a feminine voice asked from nowhere.

Leon felt a tap on his shoulder. He spun his head around to check, and felt another tap on his opposite shoulder.

_Child's play_, thought Leon. He stuck his hand backwards and grabbed what felt like a taut dress.

"…Rinoa," Leon murmured.

* * *

Sora woke up earlier than he expected. Kairi was still sound asleep a few feet away from him under a pile of soft, matted straw and woven fabrics. The previous night was another story exchanging session. Sora and Kairi told theirs while Pacha and Chicha listened with wonder. At the same time, Pacha told his terribly unfortunate story regarding his visit with Emperor Kuzco…

_["I-I got this summons..." Pacha stammered as he inched himself into the emperor's throne room.  
Kuzco sat atop his royal chair, looking down at his subject. The young emperor appeared full of glee, anxious to say something.  
"Pacha. That's right," said the emperor. "You are just the man I wanted to see."  
"I am?" the big man wondered, blinking in confusion.  
"Word on the street is that you can fix my problem," said Kuzco, smiling casually. He paused for a brief second. "You can fix my problem, can't you?"  
Pacha remained confused and unsure of his words.  
"Sure. I'll do what I can," he said without thinking. This _was_ the emperor he was talking to.  
"Good, good. That's just what I wanted to hear!" Kuzco exclaimed as he cheered up again. He jumped off his royal seat and approached Pacha. "Are you aware of just how important your village is to the empire?"  
"Well, I know we grow the crops that you use here at the palace… We also herd the llamas that you..." Pacha paused for a second. He asked hesitantly, "_My_ village?"  
"Oh, yeah," Kuzco answered. He revealed a scaled-down model of Pacha village. "You got a pretty sweet little setup there on top of that hill, don't you?"  
Pacha admitted that he was impressed with the model's likeliness with the actual village.  
"Yeah. My family has lived on that hilltop for the last six generations," he proudly stated.  
"Uh-huh. So tell me... where do you find you get the most sun?"  
"Oh, I-I'd say just on the other side of those trees—" Pacha demonstrated by pointing to one side of the hill. "When the sun hits that ridge just right, these hills sing."  
Kuzco clasped his hands together in bliss.  
"Well, that settles it," he declared.  
"Really?" Pacha was confused again. What did the emperor want?  
"Yep. Problem solved. Thanks for coming."  
"That's it? That's all you wanted me for?"  
"I just needed an insider's opinion before I okayed this spot for my pool."  
Now Pacha was confused, in a more suspicious way than before.  
"Uh, your pool…?" he asked slowly.  
"Boo-yah!" Kuzco cheered. He knocked over the model of Pacha's village and replaced it with a fancy resort-like structure. "Welcome to Kuzcotopia! My ultimate summer getaway, complete with water slide."  
"What…?"  
"Isn't it great?" Kuzco said in a voice as blissful as ever. "It's my birthday gift to me! I'm so happy."  
"I don't understand…" Pacha uttered, more to himself. "How this could happen…?"  
"Well, let me clear it up for you," Kuzco suggested. "At my birthday celebration tomorrow... I give the word… and your town will be destroyed—to make way for this. So, if I were you, I'd pick up some change-of-address forms on the way home."  
"But-but, um," Pacha stammered. "W-where will we live?"  
Kuzco rolled his eyes.  
"Hmm," he mused. "Don't know, don't care."]_

_That's terrible_, Sora thought.

He knew Kuzco was quirky in his own way, but he never knew the emperor could be such a selfish miscreant. Sora never liked the emperor from the start. Even though his objective was to find and seal the world's keyhole, he could not help but feel that a spoiled leader was wrongly treating Pacha, his family, and his fellow villagers. If there was only something he could do to help… somehow. Sora had so many questions.

_Then again, whatever happened to Kuzco?_ Sora wondered. _How did he become a llama? Did he ever find his way back to his palace after Kairi and I left him?_

Sora decided he should go and talk to Kuzco. But he had to find him first.

"Hey, Pacha," Sora spoke after a minute of silence. "Where's the quickest route to the palace?"

Pacha rubbed his face in dismay, and then looked up.

"What good will that do? Are you going to see the emperor? He's selfish, he's stubborn… he won't listen to anyone but himself…"

"It's worth a shot right?" Sora reasoned. "It's better than just sitting here and waiting for him to come build his, um, pool."

Pacha gave this proposal a thought. Indeed it would be better to at least give the emperor a piece of their minds before awaiting the village's demolition. It would be better to at least try to snap the emperor out of his immature egotism. But knowing Emperor Kuzco, Pacha still had his doubts.

_Pessimist_, Pacha wanted to shake himself silly. _Come on. It's better than nothing._

Then Sora remembered something he forgot to mention.

"Oh, by the way," said Sora. "The emperor turned into a llama."

Kairi helplessly giggled.

Pacha stared confusedly at Sora, an eyebrow slightly furrowed.

"…Huh? A llama?" the big man repeated.

"Yeah, a llama," Sora said again. "Please, just tell us how to get to the palace. Maybe we can find the emperor there… if he managed to find his own way back."

"Alright," Pacha sighed. "Take a seat again."

* * *

Riku leapt high onto the roof of Balamb Garden to get a clear view of the world around him. Apparently he was in the middle of nowhere. In one direction Riku saw dense jungles and miles of vegetation. In another direction, he saw barren plains, seas and lakes; and in another, snow-peaked mountains. It would take a lifetime to find the keyhole in this world without the guidance of the Keyblade. Unfortunately, Riku's Keyblade showed no signs or hints as to which direction the keyhole may lie. Perhaps no keyhole was open as of yet, since Riku had not encountered any Heartless since his arrival.

But Riku was paranoid that if he left, the world may be invaded. But when or where would an invasion occur? _That_ location would be where the keyhole rested. Riku shook his head in disappointment as he sat down on the metal roof and stared at the sun.

"Riku," a voice sounded behind him.

"Leon," Riku semi-whispered in response. Riku's attention was towards the morning sky, but he knew it was Leon who approached from behind. "What is it?"

"Turn around, I would to introduce someone to you."

Riku turned his head and glanced back to see a young woman with silky, black hair about Leon's age. Riku could not recognize this woman.

"This is Rinoa," Leon continued. "She may be able to help you find Sora and Kairi, or at least tell you where Sora and Kairi are."

Riku now stood up and faced Leon and Rinoa.

"Pleasure to meet you, Rinoa," Riku greeted her quietly. He sighed and added to Leon directly. "As of now, Leon, I don't think I will be joining any of my friends."

As if Leon expected the answer, he whispered something to Rinoa, who conjured a magic window in the air. Through the window, Riku saw more trees, much like the forests that surrounded this world, but as the window panned, Riku saw villages and their natives. He saw a palace, a long dirt path leading to the palace, and then…

"It's Sora and Kairi," Riku noted. "Are they in this world, too?"

Rinoa shook her head and closed the window.

"No, they're in another world," she reported. "Searching for a keyhole, just like you are."

Riku stayed silent.

"If you're still going to stay in this world, Riku," Leon said. "And search for this world's keyhole… I will help you."

"I don't need any help," Riku answered suddenly and leapt off the roof of Balamb Garden.

Leon and Rinoa watched Riku's dark figure vanish into the trees below and gazed towards the horizon. Far away, miles and miles away, a dark cloud appeared in the sky, above the dry plains, under the blazing sun. Leon knew what it was about and Rinoa knew as well, but they did not feel too alerted. Rinoa sat down, still gazing beyond the horizon towards the darkening plains.

"Squall, why does he call you Leon?" she asked.

Leon sat down next to her, still watching the dark cloud form.

"Are you trying to forget the past?" she added.

The question made Leon shift uncomfortably. Though he only shared his thoughts with Rinoa, he still had a hard time expressing them.

"The past is the past," the warrior said. "I'm still Squall. But I'm also Leon."


	51. Night of the Cursed

**Chapter LI:**

Though it was early in the day in Riku's world, it was very late in Sora and Kairi's world. Judging from the sounds around them, it must have been around midnight. Kairi was armed with the Oathkeeper, which, capped at the tip with a small flame, acted as a beacon. The dim moonlight was barely a light source.

The directions that Pacha gave them were fairly simple. The two Keyblade-wielders were to follow a dirt path—one used by most traveling traders or merchants—that crisscrossed through the outer edge of the jungle, across a river, and to the perimeter of the palace. It was straightforward, as long as they maintained visibility of their path.

Before long, Sora and Kairi arrived at a wooden bridge extending about twenty feet across a gorge. Below, the sounds of the river's rapids could be heard. According to Pacha's directions, they only need to cross the bridge and continue on the dirt path before arriving at the palace. The only problem was that the bridge appeared relatively unstable. With the help of Kairi's makeshift torch, the bridge could be seen swaying from the slightest breeze. Whether or not it could hold up the weight of two people was a matter of risk.

"You wanna give it a shot?" Sora asked Kairi.

"Just as long as we aren't gonna be forced to jump down," Kairi responded.

At the first plank, Sora already felt the wood crack and split under his shoes. Gently, he inched more and more forward. Kairi followed closely behind, holding onto the thin rope railings for support. Both of them wondered how other travelers fared taking this path. The thought eased their minds. If ordinary travelers were able to cross, so could they. Still, hanging a hundred feet above a roaring river on a free-swinging, wooden bridge doubtlessly triggered apprehension. Sora felt a bead of sweat slide down his face as the wooden boards continued to creak under him. Periodically, Kairi felt herself freeze on the spot, as if waiting for the bridge to collapse. But with each passing false alarm, the two shuffled on.

With no break at all, it started to rain. After what seemed like an eternity, Sora and Kairi found themselves barely halfway across the irritating bridge, more and more drenched by the minute in their newly washed clothes, agonizingly cold, stiff, and losing patience. And as quickly as a snap of the fingers, the planks under Kairi's feet shattered into splinters, causing Kairi to slip and fall through the bridge.

Sprawling for hold, Kairi dropped her Oathkeeper into the river and hung onto the side of the bridge for dear life. Sora, wild with panic, tumbled back and clasped onto Kairi's wrists.

"Hold on," he said as calmly as possible. "I gotcha. Just hold on!"

"Sora, please don't let go."

"You're okay," Sora whispered. "Let's—"

Before Sora could make a move to pull Kairi up from the gap, Sora felt the planks under him creak, crack, and finally… disintegrate. Still holding onto each other, Sora and Kairi both plummeted through the broken bridge into the raging river.

* * *

"Do you think those kids are alright?" Pacha mumbled to Chicha, who was pretty much asleep next to him.

"…Who…? Ours?" Chicha mumbled back. "Pacha, go to sleep…"

"No, I mean those kids who stopped here today," Pacha clarified, suddenly sitting up. "I wonder if the path's safe at night?"

"If you're so worried, it won't hurt to check around," Chicha sighed. "Just hurry back if you do…"

"You're right, I should go check. At least up to the bridge," Pacha replied to Chicha, who was back to snoring already.

Quietly, Pacha put on his poncho, cap, and sandals and slipped out of the cottage.

* * *

"Hang on, Kairi!" Sora yelled above the roaring rapids. It was by far many times louder where they were than it was a hundred feet up in the air. "Kairi, can you hear me?"

Kairi nodded spastically.

A remnant of the broken bridge drifted past Sora. With a quick grab, he hung onto the giant piece of wood and helped Kairi onto it. As the currents continued to pull them downstream, Sora gripped onto the board's edge. Kairi was in a daze; nonetheless, she hung on just as tightly.

It was unknown whether Sora and Kairi were being carried in the right direction, or just as likely, the opposite. Their only concerns at the moment were to stay alive and hopefully reach dry land at some point. However, having their fortunes improve seemed nowhere near in sight as crashing water could be heard only a few yards away. It sounded like a waterfall. Sora peered over his shoulder to analyze the situation. And yes, indeed, they were approaching a waterfall.

Meanwhile, Kairi shook her head lightly and opened her eyes. A dumbfounded look on Sora's face worried her.

"What's going on, Sora? Oh, no…"

"Yeah," Sora answered simply and directly.

"A waterfall?" Kairi asked. "Are we about to go over it?"

"Yeah," Sora responded just as directly.

Kairi winced and shut her eyes again. Instinctively, she made a grab in the air and clasped onto a recalled Oathkeeper. She mumbled random spells: Blizzard, Water, even Magnet. But the most she could do was turn a few areas of the river into ice, incapable of rendering the massive waterfall into an icy slide. With the Water spell, Kairi could only go as far as to channel a few streams into the air, completely irrelevant as to saving them. And with the forces of gravity… Kairi did not know how to properly handle the gravity spell and the experimentation was fruitless.

Seeing Kairi's attempts, Sora pulled out his Keyblade to try any possible method in rescuing the two of them before they plunge over the waterfall. Again, Blizzard. Water. Magnet. Sora tried and tried, but did little more than what Kairi had already strove to do. In a few seconds, Sora found his own eyes shutting automatically as he felt the piece of the bridge, himself, and Kairi fall.

_Crash_. From the roaring torrents, Sora and Kairi blacked out. They drifted again, this time in calmer waters, downstream until the two of them, still clinging onto the broken piece of wood, reached a dirt shore.

And hour passed.

Two, three hours passed.

Sora gradually woke up to the sounds of rustles, queer noises, and something pecking at his head. It was still in the middle of the night, with the moon still high in the night sky.

_I thought I was out cold for much longer than this_… Sora thought. He wondered if he went into the next day. _Probably not._

He waved off a raven-like bird that was pecking fervently at his head. Nearby, Kairi was still knocked out. Sora slid by and checked on her condition.

Kairi was barely breathing. Her pulse was low and she looked gravely pale. Unnerved, suddenly fully aware of where he was, how he arrived there, and what kind of dire situation was before him, Sora briskly, but gently, pushed down on Kairi's chest, hoping to ease open her windpipes. The process did not please Sora, due to the fact that the results were barely noticeable. Kairi remained unconscious. Left with no other choice, Sora started to lower his face towards Kairi's…

* * *

Pacha felt his back stiffen as his eyes took in the sight. The dirt path he told Sora and Kairi to follow was visible and easily seen. However, as it neared the gorge, Pacha glared at the bridge's spot—or rather the spot where the bridge was _supposed_ to be. Pacha looked down the gorge at the dark river below and shuddered.

* * *

A few minutes later, Kairi coughed and coughed herself to consciousness, followed by a spastic inhalation of long-deprived oxygen. Sora could only sit by and hope she was faring well. As soon as the coughing fit ended, Kairi sighed and looked longingly at Sora before collapsing on his chest in exhaustion.

"That was… not fun," said Kairi, her voice still shaky from the chokes.

"Nope," agreed Sora. "But we're okay, right?"

Kairi nodded. Something in their surroundings bothered her. Something in the trees.

"Sora, I think we're being watched…"

Sora alertly scanned the area. The Oblivion released a small sparkle of light.

"Heartless," Sora muttered.

"Cure," Kairi tried calling. "Ugh, either I'm not doing it right or it doesn't help with tiredness."

Sora helplessly shook his head and continued to examine the environment: from the trees, to the rocks, to the shoreline, the river, to the sky. There must be something nearby, or else the Keyblade would not shine. The only living beings in the area only seemed to be Kairi, him, and… some nearby ravens. Sora looked towards a gathering group of ravens that perched on a nearby deciduous tree. With a closer look, Sora noticed that more and more ravens were gathering around them.

"Aaawk," one raven screeched hoarsely.

_What are they?_ Sora wondered. These "ravens" had glowing eyes, ranging from a hazy yellow, to dark red, to an eerie white. All seemed unnaturally hostile. Then, one of the birds stood out.

"That's… Maleficent's raven!" Sora cried out and shot a bolt of lightning at the wicked bird with his Keyblade. "She can't be here, can she?"

Kairi carefully stood up and blocked off a flock of angry ravens retaliating from the lightning bolt. Each knocked out raven dissipated.

_Heartless_, Kairi noted to herself. _Big, ugly, Heartless ravens._

Sora, annoyed with the sheer number of Heartless ravens, fired off a strong series of Thunder spells, wiping out most or all of the demented ravens. All but one: Diablo, Maleficent's raven. Before Sora could point his Keyblade at the bird, Diablo let off a chilling screech, transforming all the leftover black feathers into revived Heartless ravens. What started off as fifty or so ravens now quadrupled into over two hundred demonic birds.

Diablo seemed to be laughing; its unbearable, swaggering shrills were more than enough to force Sora and Kairi to cover their ears.

"That bird's cursed," Sora quietly, panting from fatigue. "We have to get away."

Before Sora and Kairi could turn to the nearby forest, Maleficent's raven let out another chilling screech. In a moment, two jaguars from the trees dropped in front of Sora and Kairi. Both felines had the same glowing eyes as the Heartless ravens did. The Heartless jaguars, unlike the pesky ravens, posed as serious peril for Sora and Kairi.

"Okay, forget just getting away," Sora whispered to Kairi again. "We're running—"

The jaguars entered a pouncing stance.

"How can we outrun them?" Kairi whispered back. "Where can we go?"

Sora made a strong, horizontal slash at the pouncing jaguars, knocking both a few feet away.

"Go!" Sora yelled to Kairi.

Both of them quickly made a dash into the forest. Behind them they could hear the fluttering of wings and feathers, the chilling screech from Diablo, and the rapid thumping of paws on dirt. Sora led the way, guiding Kairi and him through a tangle of vines, broken branches, and loose roots. When they came upon a ledge, not too high but not too close to the ground below, the beatings of giant raven wings became louder and louder. Sora grabbed Kairi and decisively leapt off the ledge, with Kairi screaming all the way down.

Without losing a moment, Sora bid Kairi to keep moving. Snapping back to her senses, Kairi stood back up and continued on with Sora. They dashed through the open meadow, past a field of llamas and alpacas, past a lone barn, and finally…

"Sora!"

"The palace!"

Just beyond a hill was the emperor's palace. Apparently, Sora and Kairi took a hazardously long detour. Instead of a straight dirt path, they took a water route around the entire region. The sounds of wings, raven screeches, and pouncing jaguar paws slowly died out, ensuring that Sora and Kairi were now beyond the detection and reach of the cursed Heartless creatures.

Dawn was breaking; the sun could be seen rising above the eastern grass-covered hills. Sora and Kairi, through a considerably more difficult night than what they had originally imagined, ultimately reached Emperor Kuzco's grand palace.


	52. Keyhole: Kingdom of the Sun

**Chapter LII:**

With a strong push—and most notably—without knocking, Sora and Kairi burst into the palace's main entrance. It was early, so neither Sora nor Kairi expected anyone to be awake at the time, other than the guards, of course. But oddly enough, there were no guards in sight. The peculiarity of the scenario both troubled and intrigued the two Keyblade-wielders. Any dwelling of royal class should have, at any rate, _some_ guards patrolling the estate, inside or outside. After some immediate exploration, they met no guards outside and have yet to meet a single one inside.

Sora and Kairi walked slowly past the lobby and through the golden hallways. The halls were brightly lit, not by candles or incandescent light, but through numerous, wide-open windows that were lined from one end of the hallway to the other. And because of the halls' great length, the many windows allowed enough light in to illuminate the entire palace. As the run continued to rise, the shadows became more visible.

Their goal was the find Kuzco, and based on most designs of palaces or castles, the emperor or king would be found either in the deepest room of a stronghold or at the highest position. Sora and Kairi decided to venture further into the palace, hopefully finding Kuzco at some point. As they climbed winding staircases paved with illustrious gold and past more hallways, Sora and Kairi became conscious of the fact that the palace was strangely empty. The realization did not significantly bother the two, but they took notice nonetheless.

Finally, Sora and Kairi made their way to what seemed like the center of the palace: a grand, golden ballroom of some sort. Just at the end of the room was a gigantic podium-like structure, topped with an intricately designed, gold and diamond-ornamented seat. Anyone with any common sense would conclude that the chair was the throne chair. However, there was no one in that seat.

"What the heck?" Sora exclaimed in a discouraged tone. "We came all this way for an empty chair. That's great."

"It's really quiet here," Kairi said. "Maybe he's somewhere else? Another room?"

Sora scratched his head and took the suggestion. Turning around, Kairi and he resumed their search. If Kuzco was not in the throne room, where could he be? Most of the palace seemed the same. By drawing a map of the palace inside his head, Sora noticed that the palace seemed symmetrical, which would make the search slightly easier.

All of sudden, Sora heard some voices; finally someone awake? Kairi heard them as well, and stopped to listen for a moment. The voices were drawing nearer. One sounded disturbingly creepy while the other sounded drastically normal. Sora and Kairi quickly dodged to one side of the hallway, snuck behind a half-opened door, and continued to watch and listen.

"…Kronk, darlin', I must admit you had me worried… when you mixed up those poisons," the creepy voice sounded. "But now that Kuzco is dead, all is forgiven."

Sora and Kairi looked at each other, wide-eyed.

"Ah," the normal, but slightly thick-sounding voice responded. "Oh, yeah, yeah. He's... he's dead, all right."

Now the two people slowly dragged their feet past the door Sora and Kairi were hiding behind. One was Yzma, the really, really, really extremely wrinkly, sagging, old woman and the other one was Kronk, her dim-witted assistant.

"I mean… you can't get much deader than he... than he is right now," Kronk stammered. "Unless, of course, we killed him again…"

Yzma stopped walking and creaked her bony face towards Kronk, suspiciously and evermore creepily.

"…I suppose…" she croaked. "Kronk—"

Kronk was spastically glancing out the window, down the hall, at his silly propeller hat.

"…Kronk," Yzma said again impatiently. "…Kuzco _is_ dead, right?"

Kronk stopped playing with his propeller hat. Yzma grabbed him by the frill of his shirt.

"Tell me Kuzco is dead!" she said. "I need to hear those words!"

Kronk shifted his eyes left to right to left and back to Yzma.

"Do you, uh," he sputtered. "Need to hear all those words exactly?"

"He's still alive?!" Yzma squawked raucously as the color of her sagging face grew to a boiling red.

"Well, he's not as dead as we would've hoped."

Sora and Kairi gave each other a high-five—just a bit too loudly.

"…What was that?" Yzma muttered.

"Squirrels?" Kronk guessed, rubbing the back of his head.

"In the palace?" Yzma grunted. "…Kronk…"

"Well, it sounded like it came from here," Kronk said, walking towards the room Sora and Kairi were hiding in.

Reacting quickly, both Sora and Kairi ran further into the room and hid in separate closets a split second before Kronk opened the room's door.

"Huh," he said. "It must've been squirrels. I don't see anyone else."

"Kronk, there are definitely people in here," Yzma groaned again as she entered the room herself. "…And no squirrels!"

Yzma scanned the room, from the desks to the chairs, to the draperies, and to the windows. She walked by the closets that Sora and Kairi were separately hiding in, but she did not open them. Then something brushed her ankle.

"What the," Yzma gasped. She looked down and slapped her forehead. "Are you kidd—"

Kronk leapt into the room gleefully.

"See?" he cheered. "Told you it was a squirrel!"

Yzma muttered vulgarly under her breath and stormed out of the room with Kronk trailing afterwards.

Sora and Kairi both came out at the same time and sat on the carpeted floor. They sighed and glanced at each other, towards the open door, and to the squirrel, which scampered out of the window. Yzma and Kronk's voices could still be heard from down the hallway.

"Never thought we'd get saved by a squirrel," Kairi whispered.

"Eh, even if she did find us, I doubt she would be much of a threat," Sora said with a shrug. "And that big guy doesn't seem like the guy who can clobber us."

"Ah-ha!" Yzma shouted out, her skinny little head zipping back to the door. "I knew there were others in here—other than squirrels!"

Kronk waddled back and eyed Sora and Kairi curiously. Yzma remained lodged in her stiff position, her long, gaunt index finger pointed at the two Keyblade-wielders. Kairi took note of how Yzma was exceptionally well-dressed, but she was utterly hideous as a whole.

"Y-you…" Yzma continued. "You heard us, didn't you?"

Sora shrugged. Yzma snapped her fingers.

"Kronk," she started. "Dispose of them."

_Uh oh_, Sora thought as Kronk began charging towards Kairi and him.

The brawny man seemed mentally slow, but he was surprisingly agile, taking Sora and Kairi by surprise. In an instant, Sora found Kairi and himself flying out of a window. Luckily, they were on the first-story floor, so they suffered no injuries whatsoever when they landed on the grass outside.

Yzma slapped herself on the forehead again and glared at Kronk.

"You lousy excuse of a―you…" she stopped and slapped her forehead once again. "You call that disposing? No wonder you couldn't finish off Kuzco."

"Well, um, I didn't know if you wanted me to, y'know… _really_ dispose of them," said Kronk, scratching his head.

"Never mind, Kronk! Never mind. You and I have to get out there and find them," Yzma muttered. "If they talk, we are through!"

Back outside, Sora and Kairi pondered about what they have just learned. Apparently, there were three sides to the conflict in this kingdom of the sun. There were Heartless roaming the area; that was certain. The emperor of the kingdom transformed into a llama and was being conspired against. Sora and Kairi know who the conspirers are, but who can they tell? They were travelers of unknown statuses and reliability. At the meantime, though, they had to leave the premises. Sora could hear the clicking of Yzma's heels and Kronk's blabbering voice nearing them.

"Sora, look!" Kairi suddenly said excitedly.

Sora looked to the nearby forest. A large man and a llama were running towards Kairi and him. Was it Pacha and the emperor? Sora squinted and was certain.

Pacha came stumbling forward to Sora and Kairi, panting and sweating from probably half a day's worth of running. Kuzco seemed fairly exhausted, too, evident with his lack for words. In a moment, Yzma and Kronk came onto the scene. Now it was Kuzco and Pacha on one side, Yzma and Kronk on the opposite side, and Sora and Kairi standing in between. Kuzco, perhaps not knowing his situation too well, blurted out first.

"Yzma! I am _so_ happy to see you… for once."

Yzma raised her eyebrows in confused disbelief. Kronk scratched his head again. Sora and Kairi glanced at each other. Sora took a few steps over to Kuzco and whispered the news to him. Kuzco leapt up.

"What?!"

Kairi nodded, agreeing with whatever Sora just told the young emperor.

"But… but," Kuzco sputtered. He faced Yzma and Kronk. "Your whole world revolves around _me!_ Come on! You two are nothing without me."

"I think I left something in the oven," Kronk said and slipped away.

"Yo! I'm not done with you yet!" Kuzco shouted. "Yzma, I order you to call him back! And then, change me back to a human! Do you have any idea how hard it is to _be_ a llama? I can't pick anything up!"

Kuzco demonstrated by clicking his two heel-toes together, making pathetic attempts at picking up a small twig.

"You see, you see?! Change me back into a human, now!"

Yzma played around with her fingers for a moment, pondering…

"Nope," she sneered.

In an instant, Yzma dashed off after Kronk, leaving Sora, Kairi, Kuzco, and Pacha out in the field. Sora and Kairi summoned back their Keyblades.

"Come on," Sora called. "We have to follow them! Do you have any idea where they headed off to, your highness?"

"Hmm, could be Yzma's laboratory…" the emperor said slowly, tapping his feet in thought. "Yeah, that should be it—let's go!"

The group dashed off after Yzma and Kronk, but only to suddenly fall down down a chute the moment they reentered the palace. It was one of Yzma's typical trapdoors that led to her laboratory. Although none of them expected it, it only made it more convenient for Sora, Kairi, and the rest of the group. They slid down a shaft, one after the other, spiraling downward until they fell through a small, loosely hinged door. Crashing through first, Sora quickly recovered from the fall and drew the Oblivion. Kairi followed suit and armed herself with the Oathkeeper.

Kuzco's first action was to scout the laboratory for any magical potion that could transform him back into a human being. Unfortunately, when Kuzco approached one of Yzma's potion stands; all he could find was dust and empty vials and beakers. Pacha located a few full beakers, but they were all of the wrong creatures.

"Looking for this?" a voice called.

Yzma, with Kronk next to her, stood on the opposite side of the laboratory. She held a small vial with a stick figure stamped on the side: the human potion.

Kuzco took a breath and inched towards Yzma.

"Okay, I admit it," he started to say. "Maybe I wasn't as nice as I should have been. But, Yzma, do you really want to kill me?"

"Just think of it as you're being let go…" Yzma chuckled. "That your life's going in a different direction… that your body's part of a permanent outplacement…"

"Hey," Kronk interrupted. "That's kind of like what he said to you when you got fired—"

"I _know_. It's called a cruel irony… Like my dependence on you," Yzma snarled. She tossed Kronk a knife. "Finish them off."

Kronk paused, staring down at the knife he held in his hands. His conscience spoke to him.

_Hey, you're not backing down, are ya, big guy?_ a voice in his head asked.

Then another voice cut in.

_Sorry I'm late. So what'd I miss?_

"Well, Yzma just tossed me this knife and asked me to, you know, take them out…" said Kronk.

At this point, everyone in the laboratory were staring awkwardly at Kronk. Sora and Kairi looked at each other in confusion. Kuzco and Pacha tilted their heads in bewilderment. Yzma let out a groan of defeat.

"And then this guy popped up," Kronk continued. "And then we waited for you, and quite honestly—"

"Kronk! Why did I think you could do this?" Yzma roared. "This one simple thing… It's like I'm talking to a monkey!"

_Whoa now!_ one of the voices in Kronk's head sounded.

"A really, really big stupid monkey named Kronk!"

_Ouch_.

Yzma was not done yet.

"And do you want to know something else? …I've never liked your spinach puffs. _Never!_"

_That's it. She's going down._

_From above, the wicked shall receive their just reward._

Kronk looked above. A chandelier aptly hung on the ceiling, held up by a rope.

"That'll work," Kronk whispered to himself.

He flung the knife at the rope, severing it and sending the giant chandelier crashing down towards Yzma. The skinny, old woman looked up at the plummeting object and made no move. The chandelier struck, forcing Sora, Kairi, Kuzco, Pacha, and Kronk to look away from the potentially gruesome scene. However, when they opened their eyes, they were in awe—surprised and somewhat dismayed at the sight. Yzma, being the ridiculously bony figure that she was, seamlessly fit through the center of the chandelier without being touched. Broken glass and light pieces were scattered around her, but nonetheless, she remained completely unharmed.

"Strange," Kronk noted. "That usually works."

"And so does this!" Yzma yelled in fury, pushing down a lever on the concrete wall. With the motion, a hatch opened under Kronk, sending the big man falling through.

"Ah," Kronk said as he fell. "Should've seen that coming. Whoa!"

"Give me that vial!" Kuzco hollered as he charged at Yzma.

Yzma evaded Kuzco, ripped off the label on the vial, and dropped it along with dozens of other vials of the same colored potions. All the potions were unlabeled, sending Kuzco into a frenzied and discombobulated state.

"Which one, which one?" Kuzco mumbled hysterically.

"Better hurry," Yzma chuckled. "I'm expecting company."

In a matter of seconds, groups of royal guards stormed down from the stairs, all equipped with lances, spears, and shields.

_Oh, there they are,_ Sora noted to himself.

"Kill them!" Yzma shouted. "They murdered the emperor!"

Kuzco's eyes widened in shock.

"No, wait! I'm the emperor!" he exclaimed. "It's me… Kuzco!"

"No use, just take them all and run!" Pacha beckoned.

The guards stampeded towards Kuzco and Pacha. Immediately, Sora and Kairi jumped in between, parrying the lunges and jabs from the spears and lances, allowing Kuzco and Pacha to escape with the potions. With minimal effort, Sora and Kairi pushed the guards back.

"Get them!" Yzma shouted. "Get—"

The guards fled in a clumsily disorderly fashion, yelping and babbling at the same time. Yzma peered over her shoulder and found three enormous dragonflies hovering noiselessly behind her. Panicked, Yzma turned to run, but bumped into another giant creature: a crazed-looking jaguar. Thinking she became delusional, Yzma rubbed her eyes and looked around the laboratory. She gazed upwards and found herself staring into the beady, glowing eyes of a giant raven.

Screaming at the top of her lungs, Yzma ran through the creatures, wildly flapping her arms towards the stairs. Sora and Kairi let her go; now facing a situation more serious than before.

One floor up, Kuzco and Pacha continued to run; somewhere, anywhere, as long as they had the opportunities to continue testing the potions until they find the human one. In a short time span, Kuzco managed to transform into a cow, a horse, a deer, a penguin, and even a hermit crab.

"We're not getting anywhere with you picking the vials," Kuzco complained. "I'm picking the next one!"

"Fine by me!" Pacha yelled back.

"Give me that one." Kuzco drank one of the potions. _Poof._ He instantly became a blubbery whale. He scowled at Pacha. "…Don't you say a word…"

A screech sounded from a few yards ahead of the two. Kuzco recognized the creatures as the same ones that attacked him only a day ago in the forests. Giant dragonflies.

"W-what on Earth…?" Pacha sputtered.

"Toss me another vial!" Kuzco barked. _Poof._ A llama. "Yay! I'm a llama again! …Uh, wait…"

"Run!" Pacha yelled.

Meanwhile, in Yzma's laboratory, Sora and Kairi fought back-to-back, clearing out the swarming Heartless animals. With a fully charged ball of fire, Kairi could take out at least half a dozen Dragonflies. Sora mixed the battle with combinations of magic and swordplay. Periodically, situations called for Reflect spells. And in other occasions, any injury required immediate Cure spells.

Due to the fact that the battle occurred at daytime, Diablo could not revive the fallen Heartless. As soon as Sora came to realize that Maleficent's pet raven led the assault, he directed all his attention and strength at the accursed creature. As soon as Kairi slashed away the last of the nearby Heartless, she also focused solely on the wicked Diablo.

As the number of Heartless was reduced to zero, the tides quickly turned against the raven. In futile attempts at summoning more minions, Diablo was knocked forcibly by Sora into the concrete wall, followed by an intense beam of pure fire from Kairi's Keyblade. Without more than a screech, all that was left of Diablo was a gaping hole in the wall, smoldering with embers covered with thin, black smoke.

"Sora, look," Kairi whispered, pointing at the molten hole in the wall.

A faint light radiated, without a doubt on its own and not from the fire. The blade of the Oblivion gave off the same color of light.

"The keyhole!" Sora exclaimed.

Voices yelled from the stairs. Sora and Kairi turned to see Kuzco, now a kangaroo, and Pacha dashing down the stairs, pursued by large groups of Heartless varieties, not just the local animal ones. At the same time, more voices sounded. Through the ceiling came Yzma, caught between the claws of a Dragonfly Heartless. Quickly, Sora pointed his Keyblade at the keyhole, shot forth a magical beam of light, and locked it.

The Heartless dissipated instantaneously around the traumatized Kuzco and Pacha. Yzma dropped from midair, face first, and landed flatly on the concrete floor. The old woman was about to get up until she was flipped back a few feet by a tile. Out emerged Kronk, as cheerful as ever.

"Wow. What are the odds of that trapdoor leadin' me back here?"

Sora and Kairi smiled victoriously at the scene. Sharing another high-five, the two teens rejoined the emperor and Pacha.

"Well, here goes," Kuzco said solemnly.

The emperor picked up the final vial from Pacha's hands and poured the purplish liquid into his mouth. A glow emanated from him, his animal form disappearing as his body morphed. Arms and human hands appeared and lengthened, the legs extended as Kuzco returned to an upright stance, and finally, his human face became visible.


	53. Keep Faith

**Chapter LIII:**

"So, you lied to me."

"I did?"

Kuzco, in his human form, and Pacha were both standing in the throne room by the scaled-down model of Pacha's village. It was the same scene as when Pacha first received his summons to the emperor's palace.

"Yeah," said Kuzco. "You said, when the sun hits this ridge just right, these hills sing."

He looked at Pacha for a moment before continuing.

"Well, pal, I was dragged all over those hills—and I did not hear any singing."

Pacha still did not know where the conversation was heading. Thus, Kuzco went on, lifting up his model summer home off of Pacha's village.

"So I'll be building my summer home on a more _magical_ hill," he scoffed.

Pacha could not believe his ears. He could feel moisture welling up in his eyes from the wonderful news.

"Thank you," he said, rubbing away the loose tears.

"Couldn't pull the wool over your eyes, huh?" Kuzco joked.

"No, no, I'm sharp," Pacha said, still rubbing an eye. "I'm on it."

"Looks like you and your family are stuck on the tuneless hilltop forever, pal," Kuzco said with a smirk on his face.

"You know, I'm pretty sure I heard some singing on the hill next to us…" Kuzco seemed alert once again. Pacha smiled. "In case you're interested."

* * *

Miles away, back in the village, Sora and Kairi stood by the hilltop, channeling fire, lightning, and ice in various shapes and light arrays. It was Kairi's first attempt at mastering another magical element besides fire in a long time. Sora admitted to himself that Kairi's Fire spell seemed to be far superior in comparison to his own. Eventually, Sora thought, Kairi's magic capabilities should surpass his. It may take a long time though, as Kairi struggled to keep her lightning bolts from striking Sora and herself.

Periodically, Sora would shoot off a Thunder spell in demonstration. Kairi would follow, but would either channel the spell incorrectly, causing the bolt to misfire, or simply emit harmless static from her Keyblade. Personally, Sora would rather Kairi charge up a strong lightning bolt and misfire it than hastily charge up weak static.

"You're almost there, Kairi," Sora said. Kairi continued to charge up a large lightning bolt. "Okay… okay! Now hold it there."

Sparks leapt out of the glowing, yellow orb as Kairi strained to keep the energy under her control.

"See those rocks down there?" Sora asked, pointing to five small rocks scattered at the bottom of the hill. "Try to direct your energy at those rocks. Picture the lightning going there."

Kairi closed her eyes and fired off her Thunder spell. This time, the bolt surged vertically into the air before splitting up into multiple bolts. Sora had to dodge out of the way as one thunderbolt struck an inch away from his foot. One of the rocks Sora mentioned was shattered into grains. A few, random holes were also blown from the hillside grass. Kairi scowled.

"Ugh," she muttered, wiping a bead of sweat from her eyebrow. "That was—"

"Great!" Sora exclaimed as he jumped over to Kairi to embrace her. He picked her up and swung her around once. "That was way better than before!"

"Thanks," Kairi said as Sora put her back down. She blushed a bit. "I guess… it was some progress."

"It was a _lot_ of improvement," Sora said excitedly. "I… heh, never thought that I'd have a knack for teaching."

"Thanks for teaching me, Sora," said Kairi.

"Why, you're welcome," Sora responded with a cheesy smile.

* * *

The sun rose and began to set with Riku still, idle and immobile, sitting on the roof of the garden. The serenity cleared his mind.

_But for what purpose?_ Riku thought.

The hours were vital, in his opinion. Each passing hour could be spent well in searches, problem solving, or for doing anything in favor for his cause. Riku extended his imagination a bit, picturing himself single-handedly preventing the Heartless from striking this world. He pictured himself using the hours he had just sat through to locate the keyhole.

Riku gazed beyond the horizons at the setting sun. There was still time. Riku stood up, stretched his arms, legs, cracked his neck, and prepared to leap for the land below.

"Plan on leaving already?"

Riku leaned back from the edge and turned around to face Leon.

"Do you still insist on doing this yourself?" Leon asked.

_Maybe._ Riku looked away.

Leon pulled his Gunblade out and detached a chain from the hilt. He offered the silver ornament to Riku.

"What is this?" Riku asked as he took the chain in his hands.

"It's the Griever keychain," Leon explained. "I usually keep it as a necklace. But if you attach it to a weapon, a sword in this case, Griever can make the blade lighter. It makes it feel smoother, makes your motions faster. To top it off, your magic capabilities will be at its peak."

Riku examined the keychain carefully. He slowly attached Griever to his Keyblade and returned his attention to Leon.

"Why are you giving me this?" Riku asked.

"If I'm not around, then I might as well pretend I'm around," Leon answered. "Just return it to me later."

Riku nodded and called off his Keyblade. The Griever keychain itself looked intimidating. That along with Riku's Way to the Dawn combined into a formidable looking weapon. Riku trusted that the keychain would be potent, but he was confident enough in his own abilities to hold his own that he paid no further attention to Leon's gift. Riku waved his palm briefly to bid goodbye, tilted towards the edge of the roof, and dropped out of sight.

The steadfast Leon remained where he was, uncurious of Riku's agendas. Leon spoke just loudly enough for himself to hear.

"Are you fighting for your friends, Riku? Or are you fighting your darkness?"

"Don't be so hard on him, Squall," Rinoa's voice sounded from behind.

Leon felt a hand on his back, firm, yet as gentle and light as a falling feather. In a moment, Leon considered the questions he had just asked for himself. Did he fight for his fallen homeland and his friends? Or did he fight due to vengeance? His darkness? The question never occurred to him until now, even though it did not seem to matter if he knew the answer or not. Still…

"Did I," Leon started solemnly. "Did I fight for us? Or for myself…?"

Rinoa's hand turned into a stiff point as she roughly poked Leon right in the middle of his back.

"Your heart is light, Squall," Rinoa chirped, giggling afterwards. "Stop being so disturbed! Have more faith in yourself and in everyone else."

_Faith…_


	54. Intermission: To Olympus

**Chapter LIV:**

The Celsius eventually came by to pick Sora and Kairi up. Just a few hours ago, the two of them relaxed along with Pacha, and Kuzco with his entire royal pack. There were drinks, food, and music included with all the festivities. If only Sora and Kairi were free and not on active duty, they would be able to stay and enjoy the time under the warm sun. Nonetheless, when the Celsius landed nearby, Sora and Kairi knew they had to leave.

When they boarded the Gummi ship, Mickey, Donald, and Goofy were waiting onboard, each manning their own respective stations. That left Sora and Kairi in the passenger seats with nothing to do. When asked if they were ready, Sora and Kairi bid farewell to the friends they made in these tropical lands before the Celsius gently closed its doors and lifted into the air. The amazed residents of the sunny kingdom gasped at the technology none of them have ever imagined before as the Gummi ship blasted off into the sky, disappearing from their sights in a matter of moments.

"Are you two okay?" Mickey asked as soon as the Celsius began drifting freely in the void. "Sorry we left you two alone for such a long time. I thought Sora could handle everything—"

"But I can!" Sora protested. "I mean, _we_ can. So can Kairi. See? We're both fine."

Mickey smiled as Kairi nudged Sora with a flushed, modest look on her face.

"You're right, Sora," the king agreed with a chuckle.

"So," Sora spoke after a few seconds of silence. "Where did you guys go while we were down there?"

Donald and Goofy glanced at each other and then looked at Sora. Sora motioned his hands, asking them to say something.

"We stopped by Halloween Town," Mickey said for Donald and Goofy. "We know your friend Jack's there, but we stopped by first to check if everything's okay there."

"Don't worry, Sora," Goofy added when he took note of Sora's crestfallen expression. "Everything's okay there!"

"And if anything does happen—heavens forbid—we'll go right back there to fix everything up!" Mickey said cheerfully.

"Who's Jack?" Kairi whispered in Sora's ear.

"He's this really tall skeleton man," Sora whispered back.

When he noted Kairi's skeptical—and somewhat fretful—look, Sora felt the need to clarify some more.

"He has a really big heart, though," he said. "And he's not scary at all, if that's how you picture him. Maybe you'll be able to meet him at some point."

Kairi shifted a bit and swallowed uneasily.

"Trust me, he's a good guy," Sora tried to reassure her. He turned to face Mickey. "Did you guys go anywhere else?"

"We're set to go to Agrabah, how's that sound?" Donald answered. "Or… Olympus!"

"Both those worlds have Heartless running about," Mickey reported solemnly. "For certain. It's your call, Sora!"

Sora thought about the choices carefully. In the years before, he would have randomly picked a world and made the departure without much consideration. On the other hand, with careful contemplation, Sora decided that passing through Olympus first would be the greatest option, due to the fact that the great ally, Hercules, awaited there. However, if Agrabah happened to be in greater peril than Olympus, then Agrabah must be saved first.

"King Mickey, which world is closer? And which world is in more trouble?" Sora asked.

Mickey looked to Goofy, who was sitting in the navigation station. Goofy glanced at the screen, which listed the worlds that have been mapped out in the void. After losing his patience in less than ten seconds, Donald stiffly walked over to the navigation station and pointed down on the screen.

"We're that dot!" Donald sputtered. "And that dot there is Olympus! And that dot _all_ the way over _there_ is Agrabah!"

"Hyuck, I get it now!" Goofy exclaimed.

"Ohh…" Donald groaned as he stiffly walked back to his weapons station.

"So, we're closer to Olympus…" Sora said to himself.

"We don't know which world's got the biggest Heartless threats, though," Mickey stated. "We can see the darkness surroundin' the worlds, that's how we know if there are any problems."

If the knowledge of which world being in the greatest peril could not be obtained, then the only logical solution that Sora could imagine was to pass through the nearest world: Olympus.

"Olympus, then," Sora said at last. "Let's visit the Coliseum."


	55. European Theatre

**Chapter LV:**

A familiar feeling of pride and vigor welled up within Sora when he stepped off the Celsius and stood on the sand that was strewn over the Olympus Coliseum grounds. Here he recalled the simply designed, yet difficult to solve training courses that were offered to him in the years past. Sora pivoted around to face the opposite of the Coliseum, looking for something. The entrance to the Underworld seemed to have remained shut, as it was the last time Sora left the mythical world.

The first matter would be to visit Philoctetes—or to Sora and his friends, just Phil—the famous "trainer of heroes." Heading towards the entrance of the Coliseum gates, Sora wondered if the hero, Hercules, was waiting somewhere… or if the evil god of the Underworld, Hades, was lurking in the shadows. It was hard for Sora to imagine what could possibly be wrong, as the world seemed quiet—though not necessarily a serene quiet; it seemed to be unnervingly quiet. It was cloudy, slightly windy, but more or less silent and still.

Sora pushed open the main Coliseum gates, followed closely by Kairi and the royal trio. He expected to find Phil sitting in the lobby like he always did; the trainer would either be talking to Hercules or jotting down notes for any upcoming Coliseum tournaments. But to the young Keyblade master's dismay, he found an empty, stone-cold lobby, lit only by a few weakly burning torches. There was no Phil to be seen or heard and there was no mighty Hercules to be found anywhere. Bothered by the absences, Sora set off down the lobby to search for signs, signs of anything that may be relevant to what has been going on since he last left.

"Sora," Mickey whispered and motioned for Sora to go to him. "Shh, listen. Do ya hear somethin' in that corner?"

Sora approached the corner of the lobby that the king was pointing towards, listening intently. Indeed there were voices, but Sora could not identify them since they sounded more like low murmurs. As he approached a clothed door, the voices became much more clear. One voice was identifiable, but Sora could not recognize the second voice.

"Gawrsh, that sounds awfully like Phil," Goofy blurted out.

"Quiet, Goofy!" Donald hissed.

The murmurs ceased, followed by what sounded like the twirling of a blade, then a protesting grunt that was certainly Phil's. Sora instinctively pushed aside the cloth, but was nearly impaled as a giant lance was lashed straight at him. Reflexively, he parried the tip of the lance to the side, which resulted in blowing a chunk of the stone wall clear off, inches away from Sora's face.

"I thought I told—" Phil griped. "Sora? Geez, is that really you, boy?"

Next to Phil was a tall man dressed in bluish-black metallic armor that resembled the form of a dragon. He held the spear-like lance in his left hand, casually rotating the central hilt around in between his fingers. Phil shook his head at the armored man and then turned back to Sora.

"So how's everythin'? Workin' those skinny limbs of yours?" Phil snickered. "I see you're still doing well with that sword."

"It is an interesting sword," the armored man said flatly.

"Who are you…?" Sora asked a little defensively.

Short Phil tried his best to grab the tips of both the man's lance and Sora's Keyblade and lower the weapons; he ended up dangling in midair, his hands barely holding onto the tips.

"Ugh, curse these little legs," Phil grumbled. "Lower your weapons, boys. Sora, this is Kain. Kain, meet Sora."

Sora and Kain both loosened their holds on their respective weapons, allowing Phil to slip down to the floor. Kain had a fairly emotionless stare in his eyes, but something told Sora that those eyes were not empty—they were a warrior's eyes, unlike Sora's, or Cloud's, or anyone Sora had crossed paths with before. They _burned_.

"Kain has the qualities of a hero," Phil explained. "So he's my responsibility now—"

"Where's Hercules, Phil?" Goofy interrupted.

Phil glared at Goofy and squinted his eyes in apparent spite. He turned away from Sora and his friends and crossed his arms in obstinacy.

"Not here," grunted Phil. "I don't know this Hercules."

Sora looked at Donald and Goofy in bewilderment. Their confusion and Kairi's confusion were totally different things. The look that Kairi gave Sora beckoned him to give her some form of explanation. Sora took a few seconds to tell Kairi about Hercules, who he was, Phil, and the connections they had with each other. Sora explained quickly because he wished to find out what happened to Hercules, and why Phil seemed to have cut the mighty hero off.

"Gone," Phil straightforwardly repeated himself.

"Phil…" Sora muttered in frustration. "Where did he go?"

Phil turned around to face Sora again and pointed his finger at his face.

"Who knows? He was two-timed by that girl! Oh, geez, forget it! I told him not to let his guard down for a pair of big goo-goo eyes! Now he lost his powers and strength…! I was plannin' on heading back to my isle to train Kain. The same isle… that… I," Phil's rambling gradually slowed down and lost its energy. "That I… trained… H-Herc. Geez, who am I kiddin'? That kid was born to be a true hero."

"Lost his...? Then—" Sora began to ask again.

"But I'm still gonna take Kain back to my isle and train him!" Phil shouted out. "We're in trouble, Sora. And this stuff might be too tough for ya. Hades has released the Titans from their prisons and sent them on a rampage against Mount Olympus. As we speak, the gods are at war…"

"There are also shadow creatures that Hades released upon the surface world," said Kain.

"Yeah. Yeah, the Heartless," Phil muttered, twirling his little beard on his chin. He then snapped his fingers. "Sora, you and your friends can help us clear the Heartless while the gods fight the Titans!"

Sora nodded.

"That's what we were planning to do," said Sora. "That's why we're all here."

"What about Hercules?" Donald asked.

Phil made a disapproving grunt.

"You can forget about him!" he spat. "If he gets that easily distracted over a girl, then maybe he _ain't_ cut out to be a true hero!"

"But he's our friend!" Sora argued. "We can't leave him alone like that! And we'll nee—"

"Listen, Sora," Phil growled as he stamped his hoofed feet. "There are certain things that make a hero, a hero. What Herc got wrong was his ambitions. If _you_ decide to do something like dropping _your_ guard over some girl, then _you_ got it wrong, too."

Sora did not necessarily agree with Phil's words. But his mind was settled. Strength or no strength, he had to go find Hercules. He looked at Kairi, then to Mickey, Donald, and Goofy. Mickey smirked and summoned his Keyblade; he knew what was on Sora's mind.

"Go find him, Sora," Mickey said, spinning his Keyblade around fancily. "We've got it covered here!"

"It ain't gonna work," Phil disagreed.

Sora did not look back. He and Kairi were already heading out of the Coliseum and to somewhere farther away, somewhere they could have hopes of maybe asking if anyone had seen Hercules. Going with his first choice, Sora took Kairi's hand and headed west, out through the gates and out into the vast world that he had never explored during his time here in the past.

"Are you sure, Phil?" Mickey asked carefully.

"Sure, I'm sure," Phil answered quickly. "…Good luck."

As Phil started to depart the Coliseum lobby, trailed by Kain, Donald became infuriated.

"Why are you leaving?" he inquired sternly. "Won't you help?"

Phil sighed and continued to walk out the door.

"Kain and I are gonna take the next boat outta here. When he's ready, we'll be back."

"That's not right!" Donald spat, but Phil and Kain already closed the lobby doors behind them. All that were left were Mickey, Donald, and Goofy, idly standing by, not knowing exactly what to do next or what to expect. Mickey, as always, cautiously peered around the area for suspicious movements or sights.

"What should we do, your Majesty?" Goofy asked.

Mickey scratched his head for a moment and paced steadily around the lobby.

"The gods of Mount Olympus are in trouble, aren't they?" Mickey stated suddenly. "The Titans and the Heartless are all attacking them at the same time."

"Then what are we waiting for?" Donald quacked out ardently. "We need to help them!"

Mickey smiled and nodded. The king darted off and led the three of them towards the way away divine grounds of the gods of Olympus.

* * *

The two Keyblade-wielders got onboard a small, ferrying boat off the nearest coast. Honestly, Sora did not know where they were going, but he built up the courage to go anyway. It was just Kairi and he, along with two other passengers—who Sora assumed to be wandering travelers—and the ferryman—a lone burly, white-haired man equipped with a colossal oar. It was getting cloudier and darker every hour, with the threat of rainstorms or heavy sea winds ready to batter the wooden boat anytime.

"What'll it be, people?" the ferryman wheezed. "Where to?"

Sora and Kairi looked at each other and just shrugged. Neither of them knew where they were to be exact, and even if they did, they did not recognize the geography of the region. They hoped at least one of the other two passengers might know where they were all going.

"Well, ah," the ferryman wheezed after a minute passed without anyone responding. "Lessee here, I go to here, I go to Carthage, I go to Sicyon, I go to Thebes, I go to―"

"We'll head to Thebes, please," Sora called out, waving his hand to get the ferryman's attention.

"Thebes, eh?" the ferryman wheezed, continuing to paddle steadily through the seawater as he chuckled hoarsely. "Thebes. That's never the place to go if ya aren't just lookin' for misery, pain, and death."

Sora raised his eyebrows in question, followed by Kairi tugging at his arm. The ferryman continued to chuckle and cackle hoarsely, sometimes coughing in between his wheezes and hacks.

"Ah, good times," he sniffed. "But it's been lot better since Hercules gone there—"

"Wait," Sora cut in. "Hercules is there?"

"Aye, yes?" the ferryman wheezed. "He should be there—"

"Take us there!" Sora and Kairi exclaimed.


	56. City of Thebes

**Chapter LVI:**

Thebes. On the way to the great city, Sora and Kairi had the opportunity to listen to some tales—rather fanciful tales—of the events that unfolded in the past. The legend of Laius, for example, Sora found to be rather matchless. Ill fortune, adultery, odd rituals, murder, kidnappings… Sora had to stick a finger in his ear and pick at it, wondering if he was really hearing everything correctly. The story of Oedipus Rex—which happened to be connected with the Laius tale, simply made Sora want to bang his head repeatedly against the floor planks on the boat.

Conversely, Kairi found all the myths and legends to be highly intriguing. Being studious, curious, and hardworking during daily schooldays, Kairi made a habit of devoting all her attention to history and, in this case, old literary tales. Periodically, while Sora winced at certain images that appeared in his mind while the old ferryman told the Theban stories of the past, Kairi would ask questions: "What could he have done?" "How did Oedipus not know?" "Where did he go afterwards?" The ferryman answered most of Kairi's questions in time, but certainly at some points, Kairi was left to wonder if the tales were history or myth. Sora reassured her that the stories were myths, simply legendary tales that were told to leave people like her marveling.

"Here we go!" the old ferryman coughed. "The city of Thebes."

Based on the stories, Sora expected the place to be bustling with activity, but to him it seemed rather dull. The weather was not exactly amazing either, but Sora did not think that would be a factor. The city was mostly empty, aside from a few pedestrians inching around the corners of streets and buildings.

"Eh? It must be the national 'stay-at-home' day, ya?" the ferryman joked. He motioned for Sora and Kairi to step off the ferry. "You two have a good one! Ha! Make your own Theban legends, yes?"

Sora just smirked and shrugged, not knowing how he should respond. Nonetheless, whatever he did, it was good enough for the ferryman, as the old seafarer muscled his oars and turned the ferry back towards the sea.

Thebes was packed with tall and short buildings, fancy arches, shops, homes, and blacksmiths. There was barely anyone outside and there were barely any sounds except for the crashing waves on the port shorelines and the occasional gusts of wind. But as Sora wandered further into the city, he could identify some of the noise that seemed to be originating from the heart of the city: cries of terror.

"Let's go," Sora said quickly to Kairi. "There's something going on here."

The noises resulting from the chaos at the center of Thebes seemed to grow louder and louder and more frenzied with every few streets that Sora and Kairi crossed. Before long, the two Keyblade-wielders braked immediately as they found themselves staring high into the sky at a colossal, one-eyed behemoth. What made Sora and Kairi continue staring in utter, numbing shock was what the titanic beast grasped within his boulder-sized hands.

Hercules, bruised and battered, was stuck in between the tight grip of the Cyclops. In a mocking tone, the Cyclops would sneer insults at the broken hero, followed by juggling the hero from one hand to another. In the worst case, if the Cyclops grew bored of playing around with what seemed to him as a dysfunctional action figure, the colossus would simply slam Hercules into a nearby building, battering the hero some more and usually knocking down the entire building in the process. Every time the Cyclops went through the process, Sora and Kairi winced, looked away, and cringed at the fact that they did not know how to approach the calamitous situation.

"Flea!" the Cyclops taunted with laughter as he tossed Hercules through the air once more.

When Sora decided he had seen enough, he summoned the Oblivion and sprinted forward. Kairi, not certain about what she should do, called out the Oathkeeper and began scaling up a nearby building. Once she reached the rooftop, she looked down to pinpoint Sora's location. Sora, who was still at least fifty yards away from the Cyclops, glanced back and up to Kairi. He nodded, hoping Kairi was safe up on the roof and in range to easily aid him in case he needed any.

Hercules was again slammed into the concrete ground as the Cyclops continued to bellow with laughter, taunting the broken hero. Miserably, Hercules tried to limp away on all four.

"Run!" the Cyclops roared, raising his foot at the same time in position to stamp on Hercules. "Run! Mighty Hercules!"

The giant foot came crashing down, only to be countered by a vortex of wind. It was mere inches away from Hercules' head, just in time as Sora forced his wind-element spell to push against the colossus' might. Within moments, the Cyclops hobbled backwards on one foot, trying to maintain his balance.

"W-who…?" Hercules gasped. He struggled to lift his head up and gazed around his surroundings. "S-Sora! What are you doing here? You gotta get away… it's too dangerous…!"

Sora barely heard what Hercules said. Without hesitation, he dashed forward and tried his best to yank the heavy warrior off the ground before the Cyclops returned. They did not have much time though, as the angry bellows and raging footsteps from the gargantuan ripped through the entire city.

* * *

Megara tried to ease the magnificent winged-horse with soothing words and gentle rubs. Just minutes ago, she had left Hercules' side to call for help. Who could possibly help, though? Instinctively, Meg decided to find Phil. Phil was Hercules' trainer, thus Phil should be able to help Hercules. That was what Meg believed. After calming down the winged-horse, Pegasus, Meg hopped aboard and led the horse out of its stable-prison and soared into the sky.

Pegasus knew where Phil was; Meg could see the flames of pursuit in the mighty horse's eyes. It was unknown to her, so Meg asked Pegasus if he knew. A forceful neigh and a sudden increase in speed was enough to convince Meg. In less than a minute, Thebes was behind them. The city of tragedies seemed to appear smaller and smaller behind them as they rocketed over the seas. It was late afternoon, with the purplish-orange sun hovering above the horizon. Realizing the lack of time on their hands, Pegasus again sped up, forcing Meg to cling tightly around the horse's muscular neck. They passed a few more islands, more bodies of water until arriving at a coastline.

"Here?" Meg asked Pegasus.

She tried to fix her wind-tossed hair, but the flying horse did not stop for long. Again a boost of speed almost caused Meg to topple over, but she clung on just in time. Instead of complaining to the horse, Meg followed Pegasus' eyes, which lead to a docking area. Rowboats and ferries came in and out of the harbor. Pegasus neighed and motioned his head towards one of the boats.

Phil was already inside a ferry, while Kain was idly boarding. She did not have much time; Meg patted Pegasus quickly and reassuringly before the horse dove down to land right next to Kain. Startled, Kain reached behind him to pull out his lance, but relaxed when he noted no threat. Phil, on the other hand, was shocked for a split second before crossing his arms and turning away from Meg and Pegasus.

"Phil!" Meg called out while hopping off of Pegasus. "Phil, Hercules needs your help!"

Phil turned his head just slightly so Meg could see his squinted eyes.

"What does he need me for when he's got friends like _you?_" he growled.

"He won't listen to me—" Meg tried to reason arduously.

"Good! He's finally learned something…"

All of a sudden, Phil found himself staring at a furious Pegasus and a Meg on the verge of tears. Pegasus angrily snorted a puff of air into Phil's face.

"Look, I know what I did was wrong," Meg continued. "But this isn't about _me_, it's about _him_. If you don't help him now, Phil, he'll die."

The last couple of words made Phil turn his whole body around.

* * *

"Flea!" the Cyclops roared as he chased after a wobbling Hercules. Sora and Kairi tried their best in slowing the behemoth down. Sora constantly tried to dodge the clumsy stomps from the Cyclops, while Kairi stayed at the highest points in the city and fired off spells towards the Cyclops. Slashes from Sora's Keyblade did nothing more than annoy the Cyclops. Kairi's spells were usually easy for the Cyclops to slap away with his rock-hard hands. The bolts of flame that Kairi released that did hit usually just made the Cyclops scratch the spot that was struck.

When Sora and Hercules found themselves wandering too close to where Kairi was camped, Kairi quickly evacuated before her building was demolished like all the rest. Soon, Kairi noticed that most of the taller buildings were all run over. What were left were a few buildings with shattered windows… or simply depressing parts of buildings. Instead, Kairi joined Sora in fighting the Cyclops in close combat.

Their efforts usually did not last very long. Periodically, the Cyclops would time his blows correctly and sweep up both Sora and Kairi well into the air. Normally, being thrown into the air was not a problem for Sora and Kairi; both of them would elegantly and cleanly land on the roof of a nearby building that had not been toppled over yet. However, by being swatted away, it allowed the Cyclops to freely throttle the already mangled Hercules. When all their efforts began to appear for naught, Sora and Kairi heard a voice far above and behind them, drawing their attention away from the Cyclops momentarily.

"Hercules!"

Sora felt a smile curl in the corner of his lips when he saw the great Pegasus and familiar faces riding towards them. Sora identified Phil and Meg right away, but took a second to recognize Kain, who he still felt relatively uneasy about.

Pegasus dropped Phil off beside Hercules, who was sprawled over a heap of rubble and debris.

"Phil…" Hercules greeted his trainer, trying to smile and laugh at the same time.

"Come on, kid, come on. Fight back," Phil said quietly. "Come on, you can take this bum. This guy's a pushover, look at him…"

"You were right all along, Phil… dreams are for rookies…"

"N-no, no, no, no, kid! Givin' up is for rookies!" Phil sputtered. "I came back 'cause I'm not quittin' on you! I'm willing to go the distance, how 'bout you?"

Hercules slowly raised his head to Phil. Before either of them could respond, the Cyclops yanked Hercules up by his legs.

"Me bite off head!" the Cyclops bellowed menacingly.

Faced with the colossus' gaping mouth, Hercules scanned all around him for anything that could help him get out of such a dire position. There were rocks and bricks everywhere, there were ropes on the ground… but behind him was a torch, lodged on the edge of a building's roof. Hercules strained to reach his only weapon, and was fortunately finally able to grab it. Before losing his head to the Cyclops, Hercules drilled the burning stick as hard as he could straight into the Cyclops' face. Yelling in agony, the Cyclops released Hercules to clutch his own face. Hercules then took the rope that was strewn all over the ground, wrapped it, and tied a dead knot around the Cyclops' legs. When the Cyclops realized his own situation, it was too late. Unable to retain his balance, the titanic beast collapsed and fell off a cliff on the edge of the city. Seconds later, a quake followed, signaling the behemoth's crash at the bottom of the cliff.

Yet it was still too early to celebrate. The rumbling loosened a pillar that was right above Hercules. Hercules, who appeared too relieved, too satisfied with his hard-won victory, did not notice the falling pillar. Meg, however, ran as fast as she could to warn the dazed hero.

"Hercules! Look out!" she yelled.

Confused, Hercules turned to see a charging Meg. Before he could do anything, Meg pushed him out of the pillar's way. However, instead of striking Hercules, the giant stone pillar, which must have weighed tons, landed over Meg instead.

"Meg! No!" Hercules cried out. He sprinted over and began to lift the stone pillar up.

"What—" Hercules gasped as his divine strength returned. "What's happening?"

"Hades' deal is broken. He promised I wouldn't get hurt…" Meg murmured.

"Meg… Why, why did you—you didn't have to—"

"Oh…" Meg said with a weak smile. "People always do crazy things… when they're in love…"

"Meg. Meg—I… I—" Hercules stammered helplessly.

"Are you… always this articulate?" Meg asked in a quiet, small voice. "Y-you haven't got much time. You can still stop Hades."


	57. Endless Questions

**Chapter LVII:**

"I'll watch over her, kid," Phil said solemnly to Hercules.

For Hercules, everything around him seemed still, everything was quiet, and he felt as if the world stopped spinning. He recovered his divine strength, but for some reason, all the strength he has seemed powerless to handle the situation he was stuck in.

"You have to go," Phil whispered again, while trying to support Meg's limp head.

"You're gonna be alright," Hercules said quietly to Meg. "I promise."

He whistled to Pegasus and hopped onto the magnificent horse's back. Sora and Kairi could only shift their eyes uneasily from Hercules to Meg and then to each other. Sora tried to use his Cure spell to aid Meg, but he could only go as far as easing the pain. Meg suffered too much damage from being half-crushed by the giant stone pillar.

"Let's go, Pegasus!" Hercules roared powerfully.

"Hercules, watch it!" Sora yelled out suddenly. He whipped out his Keyblade and fired a streak of lightning at a black object that appeared from thin air. It instantly dissipated, but Sora knew there were more. There were Heartless here… aerial ones. Kairi also called out her Keyblade and stood firmly next to Sora, both of them eyeing the sky above them.

"Go," Sora added to Hercules. "Go and get Hades, Hercules. We'll cover you."

Hercules nodded and patted Pegasus' strong neck before taking off and soaring into the twilight sky. As soon as Hercules and Pegasus took to the sky, the Heartless began appearing all over the remains of the city, all over the ground and all over the sky. Pegasus neighed in surprise before accelerating far into the horizon. Sora and Kairi drew the Heartless' attention away from the departing hero by unleashing barrages of fire, lightning, and water, knocking out many of the Heartless on the ground and sky. But before long, Sora and Kairi found themselves staring at the beady, glowing yellow eyes of Heartless of all sizes.

Kairi gently touched Sora's arm with her free hand. He nodded subtly to her. In unison, they charged forward, Sora towards his left, and Kairi towards her right. Simultaneously, they hacked away at the Heartless on the ground, elegantly parrying the attacks of the feeble Heartless while evading the attacks of the more brutal ones. One after another, the Heartless dissipated into the air from the Keyblade slashes. Still, even though he did not break a bead of sweat, Sora realized that there were probably way too many Heartless for Kairi and him to handle alone.

At the moment the two young Keyblade-wielders thought that they were fighting a gradually losing battle, a black lance blew right past Sora and into the crowd of Heartless that stood before him. And with one powerful yank from the lance, at least a dozen Heartless were torn apart and evaporated into a cloud of thin black smoke. Sora glanced behind him and saw the mysterious Kain twirling his long lance. The armored warrior's eyes continued to display its powerful burn. The more Sora gazed at Kain, the more dragon-like Kain appeared. His bluish-black armor was already in the shape of a dragon—his burning eyes only added to the effect.

Kain casually looked towards Sora before rotating the hilt of his lance and lunging forward a ridiculous length to skewer another dozen Heartless. He recovered back and backtracked a few feet until he stood next to Sora. He was at least two heads taller than the Keyblade master; his lance by itself was about Sora's height.

"You're very skilled," Kain said in a somewhat monotone voice. He added a smirk. "You remind me of an old friend of mine…"

Before Sora could open his mouth to say anything, Kain leapt high into the air, higher than Sora could imagine anyone can normally go, and slammed straight into another crowd of Heartless. While airborne, Kain almost magically dodged all the attacks from the aerial Heartless. When Kain plunged back down, he annihilated all the flying Heartless that were in his path and caused a great force wave on the ground that eliminated all the standing Heartless within a huge area. Sora was astounded by this power. He could perform a similar attack by leaping into the air and blasting the ground with his Keyblade, but his ability could only knock out at most five or so weaker Heartless.

When Kain landed back on the ground and the dust and smoke cleared, Sora could still see many Heartless remaining, but in between the swarm of Heartless was a giant crater that had the black dusty smoke of what remained of the Heartless Kain destroyed. It was the result of the tremendous power that was displayed before Sora, leaving the young warrior awed.

Kairi managed to hold out on her own and quickly joined up with Sora when she had the chance. Kain had already moved on to combat the remaining Heartless swarms, while Sora and Kairi both took a moment to idly watch the warrior trample his way through the battlefield.

"Whoa," Sora whispered with one eyebrow raised in wonder. "Where did Phil dig this guy up?"

"Who knows? There are so many worlds out there," Kairi whispered back. "He could be from anywhere."

Sora easily beat down two Heartless that snuck up behind Kairi and him. While Kain remained occupied with the swarm on one side of the decimated city, Sora nearly forgot that there were more on the opposite side, along with more in the sky. Kairi spent most of her time acting as a sharpshooter, gunning down the airborne Heartless one by one with her spells. Time-consuming, yet painstakingly efficient, the three warriors progressed bit by bit. It was not as if Sora never faced such a challenge before. In his past couple of years fighting alongside Donald and Goofy, there were Heartless swarms just like the ones he had to deal with at the time being. As soon as some of the Soldier Heartless were vanquished, Large Bodies popped out of thin air and buckets of Shadow Heartless poured out of the walls of crumbling buildings.

Unfortunately, the scene did not rattle Sora until he spotted the emergence of Nobodies. At first, only Dusks and Assassins came into view, but before Sora could even survey the rest of the battlefield, Berserkers and Dragoons fell from the sky and rumbled the earth around him. Shaking his head in dismay, Sora stood his ground with the Oblivion tightly gripped in both his hands. Meanwhile, Kairi began to back off as her attention switched from the aerial Heartless to the exponentially growing number of Nobodies on the battlefield. Even Kain, who was working with ease, soon slowed his slashes down as he took note of the grave changes in the arena.

"Looks bad," Kairi murmured glumly to Sora.

"Could be worse?" Sora tried to joke.

Portals opened up a few yards ahead of the two Keyblade-wielders and out dropped two more Nobodies.

"Like that," Kairi sighed. "It's Sarlix and that other—"

"Sarlix and Xymgrel," Sora groaned. "Wait—"

The two Nobody commanders appeared wounded, as they did not stand up right away when they landed on the ground. Sarlix remained knelt down while Xymgrel staggered with one hand clutching his ribcage. As they struggled miserably to stand and walk, the Nobodies that convened around the city turned and launched themselves upon the Heartless swarms. Much to Sora, Kairi, and Kain's surprise, what seemed like defeat in the making suddenly became their salvation.

"What…" Kain started to say as he eased from his battle stance.

"I don't really understand, either," Sora admitted.

The battle began to grow more similar to the previous battle at the Radiant Garden when the Nobodies pivoted alliances and attacked the Heartless. Sora still gripped his Keyblade firmly as he awaited the approach of Sarlix and Xymgrel.

As the Nobody commanders drew closer, Sora noted that Sarlix's right arm dangled limply, as if it was broken. Xymgrel's black cloak was torn at numerous locations and angles; his partially revealed arm was bruised and cut.

_What could have possibly happened to them?_ Sora wondered alarmingly.

A brief feeling of empathy welled within Sora, but he quickly brushed it off. He took a step forward to face the Nobody commanders.

"What happened to you two?" Sora asked coolly, showing relatively no particular interest. "Get into a little accident on your way here?"

"What do you want?" Kairi inquired without hesitation.

Sarlix found the energy to let out a choked-up chuckle, but she ended up gasping and staggering afterwards, which slightly threw off Sora's little act. The female Nobody grinned defiantly after regaining her posture. She was caked in blood, sweat, dirt, and other debris—all in all, a walking mess. The more Sora analyzed her, the more sympathetic he felt for the Nobody. Still, he mentally slapped himself out of his shifting attitude. He averted his eyes from Sarlix and took a moment to examine Xymgrel's condition. The male Nobody did not seem to have fared any better than his female companion.

"…We're still looking around for stuff," Sarlix replied to Kairi's question. "Same as before…"

"What kind of crazy research do you two go through that'll make you end up like this?" Sora sputtered. He had a hard time imagining what the answer to that question would be.

"Following Ansem's steps," Sarlix continued ever so feebly. "You know the deal… trying to find the places he visited, trying to figure out this darkness and light and heart junk—"

"If you really wanna know," Xymgrel cut in, though his tone did not sound too energetic. "It doesn't seem like our Heartless counterparts like us too much—"

"Not that they did to begin with… or rather 'liked' anything—" Sarlix mumbled meaninglessly.

"They attacked you?" Sora asked.

The two Nobody commanders nodded gravely.

"We held them off, alright," Sarlix tried to brag. "They warped away after a bit…"

"Yeah, that's because we got away first…" Xymgrel grunted.

"…Shut up," Sarlix spat.

Sora did not know how to respond. He still hated the Nobodies, especially those that reminded him of Organization XIII. He did not want to be involved with Nobodies in any way, nor did he want to be anywhere near Nobodies. Still, he found himself just staring at the two Nobodies in front of him while the battle around him continued unceasingly.

"What will you do now?" Kairi asked innocently. She was never skeptical of the two Nobodies. In comparison to Sora, Kairi pictured Sarlix and Xymgrel as more human than emotionless entities. Sora considered them purely as beings with no hearts, just like the Heartless.

Xymgrel briefly glanced at Sarlix, as if asking her if he should respond. He flicked off the dried blood near his eye without wincing.

"We read all of Ansem's Reports. All of them, multiple times, word for word," Xymgrel started. "We only came here because we knew you were here—"

"How?" Sora interrupted. That latter information troubled him. He felt himself lose his balance all of a sudden as he felt an abnormal ache in his head.

"If you're close by, I'll know it," Sarlix hummed. She opened her eyes and released her hold on Sora. Kairi quickly grasped onto Sora's arm to keep him from toppling over. At the same time, she shot Sarlix a spiteful look. The female Nobody shrugged. "He wanted to know."

Sarlix waved one hand through the air for a few seconds, just as the last remaining Heartless were gone. That ordered the Nobodies summoned earlier to retreat back into darkness. Xymgrel rolled his eyes and continued.

"We knew you were here… so we decided to come and ask you some questions to clarify what were written in the papers," he added. "Heh, and it just so happens that our aid came in handy."

"Get to it then," Sora said impatiently while massaging his head. "We're actually here to do something—"

"Seal the keyholes, lock the world away from darkness, save it from the Heartless, all that jazz," Sarlix broke in. "We know."

"Roxas and Naminé," Xymgrel said slowly and articulately.

Sora and Kairi looked at one another.

"What of them?" Sora asked.

"Whatever happened to them?" inquired Xymgrel.

Sora and Kairi looked at one another again.

"Roxas and I were reunited at some point. He's in me," Sora answered. "But didn't we tell you that before?"

"I'm sure we did…" Kairi added. "And just as a reminder, Naminé rests in me."

This time Sarlix and Xymgrel looked at one another, wondering what they should ask next.

"Really, you might have mentioned it…" Sarlix said. "That's something. It's hard to comprehend, actually."

Sora and Kairi shrugged. What else can they say? How else can they explain it? The fact that Roxas never explained much to Sora and Naminé never clarified anything for Kairi left both Keyblade-wielders wondering for themselves. Even though Sora was certain that he could occasionally hear Roxas' voice somewhere within him, he did not know how to communicate directly with Roxas. At the same time, Kairi never had the experience. Ever since Naminé fused back with her, she heard nothing and felt nothing out of the ordinary. There was no separate voice within her; none that she had noticed anyway.

"But that's all you know? You've never spoken with your Nobody halves?" Xymgrel continued to ask.

"Pretty much," said Sora. "I mean, I fought Roxas once in another realm, but that's it. That was pretty much the only other time I met him."

"I saw Naminé when I was locked away by the Organization… other than that I don't really remember much," Kairi tried to recall.

Sarlix and Xymgrel looked at one another for any other explanations.

"Then… what happened to Kingdom Hearts?" Xymgrel asked.

"No idea. I can't explain it. The only ones that probably know the true Kingdom Hearts are probably King Mickey and," Sora scratched his head. "Ansem… who's not around anymore…"

"Why does Maleficent want to seize this Kingdom Hearts so badly?" Sarlix asked.

Sora shook his head. In response, the two Nobody commanders simply nodded, though glumly, but with calm expressions on their faces, as if actually understanding their situations somewhat more. They channeled a dark portal and began stepping into it.

"And you two," Sarlix said before departing. Sora and Kairi looked up curiously at a smirking Sarlix. "Maleficent's got her Heartless hounds on us day and night. If you never see us again… well, good luck facing off with her."

The portal closed off, erasing all signs of the two Nobody commanders ever setting foot on Theban grounds. There were no signs of Heartless or Nobodies that were in combat just minutes ago. The entire city was quiet. The only signs of life at the moment seemed to only be Sora, Kairi, and the warrior Kain. In a moment, Kain pulled back his lance, slung it over his shoulder, and turned to leave.

"Wait," Sora called to the warrior. "Kain. Where are you heading to now?"

"Away," Kain answered plainly. "I don't understand the story regarding darkness and light. But I do understand that you two have duties to fulfill; duties that are not for me to intrude upon. They are reserved for you two only, it seems. You best be off."

Without another word, Kain took a running start before leaping far into the sky, bound for who knew where. Sora and Kairi had stood in the same position for quite some time already, not knowing what to think, what to say, or exactly what to do next. Their meeting with the two Nobody commanders left them wondering who was supposed to be fighting who. Light against darkness, the Keyblade against the Heartless. What was to become of the Nobodies?

Sora shifted his feet around and faced the sea. Kairi stood by him, unusually quiet, gazing at the sky. Day after day, her recent travels with Sora informed her more as to what had happened in the past years, of all the time that Sora had been through that she had never fully understood. As for Sora, he only _thought_ that he knew everything that had happened regarding Kingdom Hearts.

"So," Kairi finally said to break the silence. "Should we go find the others? Or do you want to figure out where Hercules went?"

"Hmm, let's see," Sora wondered out loud while gazing into the hazy skies above the sea. "I have a good hunch as to where Hercules went… and I have absolutely no idea where King Mickey and the others are."

"We should go back and check out Meg and Phil first," Kairi whispered. She tried smiling. "And then maybe we'll go find Hercules since that seems like the smarter choice..."

Sora nodded. He hoped for the best. He could not picture how Hercules would react to any news about Meg that was other than positive.

"Let's go," Sora finally said.


	58. On Death

**Chapter LVIII:**

Back and forth Riku went from the forests neighboring the garden back up to the roof. It was getting late. Instead of taking in the sunny rays, Riku faced the phosphorescent moonlight. A whole day had passed and he had gone nowhere. Aside from speeding through the surrounding forests from time to time, Riku stayed on the roof of Balamb Garden, doing nothing but sifting through his thoughts. Occasionally, he would hold out his Keyblade and stare into the mystic blade.

Leon remained inside the garden, but he kept Riku in his view and periodically glanced in the Keyblade-wielder's direction. He knew that even if Sora and the others continued to lock away the darkness from other worlds, it would not stop the Heartless from invading his world. Leon leaned back against a wall and looked out the window again. He wondered if Riku was waiting for something; wondering whether the young warrior was strategizing or waiting for the Heartless themselves. After another silent hour passed, Leon decided to let Riku take care of things himself and departed from his post.

At the same time, Riku opened his eyes and left his thoughts. He looked into the skies, past the clouds, and towards the moon's brilliance. Riku wiped his face down with his free hand and slid off the roof and drifted down through the trees below.

_I will keep moving,_ Riku ultimately told himself. He made certain of it by swearing that he would not stop until he made sure that this world was safe from Heartless threats. _Every world has a keyhole. No matter how big the world, I will find it._

* * *

Sora, Kairi, and Phil sat by Meg's side the entire time. Every second that passed dwindled down Meg's chances for survival. As much as Sora wanted to deny it—Meg was slipping away. All of them were completely silent. Not even a single breath could be heard. Sora and Kairi sat side by side, gently leaning on each other while they watched Meg, hoping for the best. Phil had one hand resting on top of Meg's hand. Every few minutes he would pat the young woman's hand just to make sure she knew that they were all still with her.

"She'll make it," Kairi kept whispering in the softest voice possible… more for herself to hear. "She'll be fine."

Sora did nothing else but nod every single time Kairi said those words. He had to keep his own hopes up as well. He continually tried to cast Cure spells on Meg, even though he knew it would not work. Sora permanently stopped trying when he felt all his remaining magic energy slip away. He gave it his all. He sat there, panting and perspiring cold sweat, just watching Meg's breaths become more and more shallow as time continued to run out. Sora, Kairi, and Phil… they could not do anything, but watch.

When Phil began to shake his head, Sora's felt his ears pop, his throat squeeze shut, and his gut wrench. Kairi put a hand over her mouth, shut her eyes, and turned away from everyone and everything.

"No way," Sora murmured in a raspy voice.

Phil stopped patting Meg's hand and let out a disheartened sigh. He then took both of Meg's hands and placed them, one over the other, across her motionless chest. Kairi glanced over just once, but quickly gasped and turned away once again. Sora could not do anything else but stare. How would Hercules react?

"What can we do?" Phil sadly remarked.

Right at that moment, neighing could be heard just over Thebes' seashore. Sora looked up and guessed correctly: Hercules, riding Pegasus, finally returned. Following right behind them, however, was the Celsius. Sora quickly stood up, thoughts rapidly racing through his mind. What would he ask? What would he say?

_I'm sorry, Hercules? King Mickey, what happened with you guys? No… Hercules, she's… she's…_

Sora kicked a nearby rock as hard as he could. It flew straight into a partially collapsed building, making a loud cracking noise as the rock split into many pieces.

"Meg!" Hercules cried out as he leapt off of Pegasus' back. "Meg! Meg. Meg… No…"

The white winged-horse landed softly and sputtered silently as he lowered his head in gloomy stillness. The Celsius landed quietly as well, followed by the slow, noiseless footsteps of Mickey, Donald, and Goofy exiting from the ship. Each one of them had a different expression on their face. Mickey appeared wholly stricken with grief. Donald hung his mouth slightly ajar in complete shock. Goofy eyes were drooped, and held his hat to his chest as he made a small, sniffling noise.

Hercules was in a category of his own. As he approached the unmoving Meg, his face tightened with overwhelming emotions. Devastating heartache. Interminable anger. Paramount confusion. Sora, Kairi, Mickey, Donald, Goofy, and Phil all retreated back a few feet from Hercules to reserve him space with Meg. They all stood equidistant from him as the despairing hero tenderly lifted his dearly beloved into his arms. He kept shaking his head in disbelief, forcing Kairi to look away once again. No one said a word for a period of time.

"Meg, no," Hercules whispered persistently.

"I'm sorry, kid…" Phil stepped forward. "There're some things you just can't change…"

Hercules' eyes squinted as looked away from Meg's face and towards the sky. He then looked directly into the horizon far beyond the shoreline.

"Yes," he said, while gently lowering Meg back onto the ground. "I can."

"I'm sorry, Hercules," said Sora as the heartbroken hero stormed right past him.

"Don't be, Sora," Hercules answered immediately. "No one's at fault here but one _god_…"

"Kid," Phil wheezed. "Don't tell me you're gonn—"

Hercules leapt onto the back of Pegasus and patted the magnificent horse's neck.

"Yes, Phil," Hercules responded seriously. "Don't talk me out of it. Let's go, Pegasus."

Knowing exactly what Hercules' plans were, Pegasus took off into the sky and rocketed away from Thebes in a blink of an eye.

The entire time that he looked at Hercules' aggrieved face, Sora could not help but speculate what he would do if he was in such a situation. He wondered. For a moment, he looked in Kairi's direction. The only girl he was ever close with. What if? Sora helplessly began to ask himself. But before he could finish such a thought, let alone answer it, he violently shook his head to rid himself of such negative thinking. Kairi watched him with surprise and concern at the same time.

"We need to go after him before he gets himself into trouble," Sora proposed.

Kairi nodded in agreement, prompted by the support from Mickey, Donald, and Goofy. Only Phil shook his head in disapproval.

"He's gotta do this on his own, boy. You're in no position to hold him back."

"We're not going with him to hold him back," Sora defended himself. "We just need to make sure he stays okay—"

"No—" Phil stated absolutely.

"Why not?" Kairi butted in.

"One word!" Phil yelled out. "_Hero!_ He's a _hero._ The kid's gotta do this on his own."

Donald raised his index finger to count one and snuck a glance at Goofy. Goofy took a moment to take in what Phil just said and also raised an index finger and counted to one. Both of them opened their mouths, but spoke no words. They were taken by surprise to hear that Phil actually counted his words correctly this time.

"Then he'll do it on his own," said Sora. "But that's no gonna stop me from following him."

"Just what makes you think you can do that?" Phil argued.

Sora grasped Kairi's hand and lifted it into the air. He used his other hand and pointed to Donald, to Goofy, and to Mickey.

"Why? 'Cause we're all friends here," Sora replied.

"Friends help one another," Kairi replied as well. "Even in the darkest of times."

"Just like we did many times before!" Goofy answered.

"We stick up for each other and make sure we're all safe!" Donald quacked enthusiastically.

"We're each others' light," Mickey said with a smile. "When the goin' gets tough, we look for the light."

Phil massaged the back of his neck and let out a heaving sigh. Who could stop the great force of camaraderie? The thoughts rarely crossed his mind. He was not about to interfere.

"I guess the kid's pretty lucky to have you guys behind him," Phil finally said with a smile. "Well, go after him then!"

Sora and Kairi both smiled blissfully. Immediately, Mickey, Donald, and Goofy all rushed back towards the Celsius, soon followed by Sora and Kairi.

"Hey, now!" Phil called out before Sora and Kairi boarded the Gummi ship. "Bring him back in shape, alright? He's got stuff I've never seen before. He's a natural! Ya hear me?"

Sora gave Phil the "okay" sign with his hands.

"You sure you don't want a ride?" Sora called back.

Phil shook his head and winked.

"Just tell Hercules to pick me up later."

Sora chuckled. He gave Phil one last wave goodbye before closing the Gummi ship doors behind him. Once he heard the door click shut, Sora leaned against the cool metal and pondered. Ever since Kairi and he took in the sight of Riku's lifeless father, he had thought about the concept of death. Now just realizing and taking in the image of the sheer stillness of Meg, the thoughts pounced back into his mind, nearly shattering it. Sora wanted to stop thinking about everything for a moment—at least for a moment to ease up and organize everything in his head. Compared to his previous adventures, this one grew steadily more and more fatiguing by the day—mentally and physically.

Only a few feet away sat Kairi. She could tell just from Sora's posture, his slightly flimsy slouch, his blank look on his face, and the way he leaned partially on his right arm against the ship's door. He seemed like he was caught in-between, lost like a small child, and apparently troubled with thoughts of a loner trapped in a foreign society. Though he was only a few feet away, Sora seemed to be miles away from Kairi, and such a perception bothered her. Without thinking otherwise, Kairi reached over and clutched Sora's dangling hand and pulled him away from the door, beckoning him to sit down beside her. Expressionless, Sora followed through and quietly slumped down into a seat next to Kairi.

"It's pretty cold," Sora murmured.

Kairi did not know if Sora was directing that remark towards her or to himself, but she stayed silent and attentive.

"Sometimes I feel that fighting along, fighting hard… just isn't enough," Sora continued. He inhaled a short breath of air and exhaled it quickly, like a sigh and an inverted gasp combined. "People are _dying,_ Kairi."

Kairi dipped her head a bit, uneasily, taking in those unusually serious words coming out of Sora. Never in the past did she ever hear such a serious, solemn voice that was so terribly uncharacteristic of Sora. Yet, when she tried to respond, she could not. So Sora went on.

"Remember Riku's dad?" Sora asked, in a nearly inaudible whisper. Kairi felt herself shudder at the image of Riku's father, just lying there, cold and empty. "Many people back home, maybe… we don't know. Now Meg. Your dad, Kai—"

"My dad's not gone," Kairi cut in, almost too sternly. She held her breath and stayed back for a split second after hearing her own voice. "He's not. He's still out there… somewhere…"

"I know he's not gone," Sora said quietly. "But he's _lost,_ like you said, 'somewhere.' And who knows how many people from the worlds we visited and worlds we haven't visited yet have disappeared or… _died_—"

"Please stop," Kairi gasped in a pleading voice. She placed one hand on Sora's and gripped it tightly. Sora looked down and said nothing. "Why are you being like this?"

Sora continued to stay silent. He closed his eyes and breathed slowly and steadily. He felt empty.

"Why," Kairi inquired fretfully. "Why are you talking like this, Sora? You were _never_ like this… why now? What's wrong?"

"Everything," Sora answered quickly, directly, quietly, and simply. "It's too much."

Kairi looked towards the Gummi ship's cabin at Mickey, Donald, and Goofy, who were all focused on their individual duties. She then turned back and stared straight into Sora's deep, blue eyes.

"Sora… you're not giving up are you?" Kairi asked. "Not after everything? You and Riku have both been through a lot more than I have, and I know that. But you can't be giving up, can you? Tell me you're not, Sora…"

Kairi's grip on Sora's hand tightened much more, to a point where even Kairi furrowed her thin, elegant eyebrows from the pressure. Sora gazed back into Kairi's own blue eyes.

"I'm not," Sora said at last. He tried to smile, but failed miserably, as it turned out to be a crooked mess between a grin and a twisted half-frown.

At least Kairi saw this as a good sign. She bent over and gave Sora a tight hug and held the both of them in that position for a period of time. Sora still remained silent, but he placed one hand around Kairi's waist and left it there.

"Are you okay now?" Kairi asked as sweetly as possible.

She finally released her embrace, but she was worried beyond reason. Sora was her anchor here; out in worlds she could never have dreamed of visiting, surrounded by threats that could materialize out of anything and anywhere. If anything happened to him, she could not imagine what _she_ could possibly do in response.

"At least say something _normal_ now…"

"What's not normal about me?" Sora asked in a clueless voice.

Kairi grinned enthusiastically at this and gave Sora another quick hug.

"The next time you feel like talking about stuff like dying and giving up," Kairi rambled, shaking her index finger in front of Sora's nose. "I'll smack some sense into you!"

Kairi playfully flicked Sora's nose and sat back.

"Never said I was givin' up," said Sora, gently tapping his nose in response. He leaned over and teasingly flicked Kairi's ear. "That's the last thing on my mind, no matter what I'm thinking."

Kairi smirked as she covered her ear from future flicks.

"That's good," she said.

Sora sat quietly for a minute, sorting his thoughts out again. He was slightly more at ease now, though. Whatever Kairi said to him had helped, further solidifying the fact that Kairi was worth much more to the Keyblade master than just a combat partner—much more than what Sora had already realized.

"Thanks, Kairi," Sora said quietly. "…Thanks…"

"You're welcome, Sora," Kairi answered back. "Just don't make me worry like that again. I'll grow white hair…"

Sora ran one finger through Kairi's silky red hair. Kairi naturally tilted her head in Sora's direction, however delicately.

"Nah, that wouldn't look too great on you," Sora joked.

"Duh," Kairi scoffed lightheartedly.

Sora felt a lot more relaxed with each passing minute. It was a great feeling for him, as if his whole body, his whole mind was being refreshed and rejuvenated. No matter what thoughts ran through his head before, they no longer seemed to have any lingering presence in his mind. But for some time afterward, Sora thought about Riku. Without someone like Kairi beside him at all times, Sora felt that he probably would collapse at some point, defeated. Who did Riku have that could help him? Sora wondered about his best friend's faring. It was better than thinking about mortality, as long as he kept his thoughts about Riku positive.


	59. Into the Crevices

**Chapter LIX:**

The sun has long set since the turmoil ended in Thebes. In a little while, though, the Celsius landed back at the entrance to the Coliseum. The gates were locked, but just a little further off in the distance, a reddish glow clearly emanated. It pulsated unnaturally, the aura of evil unmistakably spewing out of the Underworld's entrance.

The group thought no further and sprinted past the gates and into the Underworld. It felt just like before for Sora, as the eerie fog that was there the last time he entered remained the same. It felt clammy around exposed skin, yet the body felt an unusual force of heat within. It was unlike the feeling of leaving a wintry atmosphere and entering a furnace, it felt as if the body was enveloped with ice and being stewed in a pot of boiling water from within at the same time. It was a peculiar feeling, and it was certainly very uncomfortable.

As the group descended deeper into the Underworld, various sounds could be heard. There were supernatural howls from the lost souls and spirits of those passed away long ago. From time to time, the thick fog from before would wisp by with a short hissing noise. Although this feeling was not entirely new to Sora, no living being could ever get used to the air of the dead. From just whiffing the air, Sora felt his lungs squeeze out like a dry sponge.

Further off, a hideous roar echoed with ferocity. Sora figured it was the Underworld's three-headed guard dog, Cerberus. He had fought the demonic beast before, and it was no mere duel. Sora knew Cerberus was a great force to be reckoned with, especially for anyone fighting alone.

Just as Sora and the group moved deeper into the caverns of the Underworld, one of the nearby iron gates blasted open, revealing the three heads of the demonic canine. Reacting within a split second, Sora, Kairi, and Mickey grasped their Keyblades and faced the giant creature. Donald and Goofy also stepped up with their weapons, carefully observing the beast. With a terrifying bellow, Cerberus squeezed through the gates, only to collapse onto the cold soil as soon as it revealed its whole being.

"What the," Sora quietly mumbled as he hesitantly walked forward in curiosity.

Right when Sora got too close, Cerberus' three heads responded by viciously snarling at Sora, each one reaching forward to try to take a bite out of the Keyblade master.

"Easy!" a voice called from above. At the same time, the heroic Hercules popped up from Cerberus' back and released a crushing blow upon the beast's neck, knocking the whole creature down to the ground with a powerful rumble. "That oughta teach ya."

"Hercules!" the group called out in unison.

"What are you guys doing here?" Hercules asked as he dusted off his hands. "Not here to pull me back are you? 'Cause you know my mind's made up."

"No one's gonna stop you, Hercules," Sora answered. "But we're all here to help in case you need it."

Kairi and everyone else all nodded.

"We'll get Meg back!" she exclaimed.

"Thanks everyone," Hercules said with a smile. "If you don't mind then… I think I have some business to attend to."

Hercules yanked on the ears of Cerberus' center head, causing the great beast to yelp in almost a comical way. The demon dog wobbled back onto its feet again, with Hercules in command, sitting atop the middle head. One of the side heads glanced up and snarled at the hero, but Hercules clobbered it down, silencing it. Once Cerberus realized that it was no longer in control, it let out a dismal grunt and ceased its struggling.

"Okay," Hercules finally said. He pulled on the middle head's ears to get its attention. "Now I want you to take me to Hades, got it?"

Seeing that it has no choice in the matter, the once powerful Cerberus turned down one of the Underworld's deep corridors without a sound. Sora was amazed. He could vividly recall how much effort it took for him to take down the Underworld's guard dog. Now he stood there, watching Hercules take command of Cerberus, doing nothing more than releasing a few simple punches here and there. He looked around him, especially at Donald and Goofy, who both knew especially well how much of a foe Cerberus was for them. And as he suspected, the expressions on Donald and Goofy's faces matched his.

As Cerberus stomped off with Hercules in the captain's seat, the rest of Sora's group followed closely behind, weapons tightly grasped in case something would go wrong. Hades must know he had visitors.

_He wouldn't be much of a god,_ Sora thought to himself. Thus, the group was well prepared for some welcoming party, aside from Cerberus.

"Keep an eye out, everybody," Mickey alerted everyone. "This place has the smell of trouble from floor to ceiling."

"Good choice of words, your Majesty…" Sora groaned as he noticed the shine his Keyblade was giving off parallel to Shadow Heartless squirming out of the floor and oozing down from the ceiling. Immediately, Sora and Kairi stood with their backs against each other, their respective Keyblades in hand. Mickey, Donald, and Goofy stood their ground, their own weapons gripped firmly in their hands.

"Get goin'!" Mickey called to Hercules. "We can handle this."

Hercules nodded. With a swift tug to Cerberus' ears, he resumed his trek down deeper into the Underworld.

"Oh, these things give me the creeps," a voice sounded from a nearby corridor.

"Shut it!" another voice hissed. "We got this. Hades will feed us to the river of souls if we mess this up!"

"…Before or after he burns us?" the first voice griped.

"Who's there?" Donald quacked angrily as he shot a bolt of ice to demolish a small cluster of Shadow Heartless.

Following those words, two heads peeked out from a neighboring corridor no more than three yards away from Sora and Kairi.

"Who, us?" they both responded in unison.

"Ugh, they're gross," Kairi mumbled.

Out came Pain and Panic, the two impish demons of somewhat miniscule sizes. Panic, the green, skinny, and rather spastic half of the duo, feverishly chewed on his sharp nails in anxiety. Pain, the reddish, overweight, and rather hot-tempered member, nervously glared and scanned the surroundings.

"Who are you two?" asked Sora, as he pointed the Oblivion towards the two demons. "Did Hades send you?"

"Yes, he did!" Pain said with a snicker. "We're actually here to escort you all out of here?"

"…Are you asking us?" Sora asked confusedly.

"Yes," Pain grumbled. "N-no! I mean, we're gonna get rid of you all!"

"Psst," Panic interrupted his comrade. "Hercules ain't here—"

"Eh?" Pain grumbled again as he quickly searched around the small groups of Shadow Heartless and Sora's party. "You're kidding? Hades said he'd be here!"

"If you're trying to get rid of us," Sora taunted as he sliced through another Shadow. "You're gonna have to do better than this."

"What'll we do? What'll we do?" Panic babbled with near incoherence. "If we don't find Hercules, and if we don't get rid of these kids… we're doomed!"

"Then," Pain said as he rubbed his chin in thought. "We'll just do what we're good at."

"Failing…?" Panic wondered out loud.

"No!" Pain shouted out in exasperation.

The fat red demon leapt out into the open amongst the remaining Shadow Heartless that stood in front of Sora's group. Momentarily, the imp began to grow larger and larger, though his maximum size was no taller than Sora himself. With a sudden flash of light, the blubbery Pain transformed into a giant Shadow Heartless: a Megashadow.

"Oh! Shapeshifting!" said Panic. "I gotcha!"

Without wasting a second, the skinny Panic followed through with Pain's act and also transformed himself into an oversized Megashadow.

"They're Heartless?" Kairi marveled with some apprehension in her voice.

"You kiddin'?" one of the Megashadow Heartless spoke with Pain's voice. "I guess you've never met shapeshifters before!"

_Shapeshifters?_ Sora repeated in his mind. He ducked as the other Megashadow, claws extended, flew right over him.

"Sheesh, this kid's fast," Panic said in awe.

"Can we beat these two?" Kairi whispered to Sora.

"Definitely," answered Sora.

"They're kinda fast."

"We're faster."

"Hurry up and get them, you two!" Donald protested impatiently. "We'll get all these other Heartless! C'mon, Goofy!"

"Hyuck, okay," Goofy chuckled amusedly.

The imp duo and the Shadow Heartless were the least of Mickey's worries. He wondered where the world's keyhole was. Even though the Shadow Heartless were very easy to defeat, the numbers could never truly fall unless they could seal the keyhole. It would have to wait though. In the meantime, all he had to do was to ensure the safety of the others around him.

* * *

Riku found himself at the entrance to what appeared to be vast ruins after traveling across a sea, south of Balamb, and further past vast fields and plains. It was a peculiar sight. Riku figured he would have had a much more fulfilling journey across this world if he knew some history about it. Nonetheless, it was too late for him to go all the way back to Balamb Garden to ask Leon.

Riku stood around in front of the ruins, mostly absentmindedly, as he looked up at the sky, beyond the clouds in the horizon where the sun seemed to be breaking upon the hours of dawn.

Scurrying noises.

In alarm, Riku pivoted to see what was approaching him from behind. It was just a few moments too late, as a small green creature, no more than three feet tall stood right in front of him. Riku, who was about twice as tall, nearly missed the creature. It wore a beige-colored cloak and carried a strange lantern in one hand, which really intrigued Riku. It resembled a lizard, and appeared harmless, so Riku decided to ignore the critter.

As Riku turned around to face the ruins, however, the green creature released a black wave of energy, blasting Riku high into the sky and far into the surrounding plains. With a painful crash onto the dusty ground, Riku groaned as he tried to struggle to his feet.

"What… the… heck…?" Riku grunted in anguish. He was far more confused and surprised than enraged.

Look back on the lizard-like creature, Riku's first impression on it completely changed. Though it still had the same idle, emotionless, and almost peaceful look to it, the sudden appearance of a butcher's knife in its free hand made it seem much more dangerous, as well as oddly disturbing.

The creature slowly waved its butcher's knife, as if threatening Riku. In turn, Riku checked his battered body for any stab wounds. The Keyblade-wielder breathed a sigh of relief to find no serious injuries. But, while he patted down his body, Riku realized he lost the Griever keychain Leon gave him as a gift. He cursed himself for taking it off his Keyblade in the first place. Riku diverted his attention back to the green fiend that nearly stabbed him. To his dismay, Riku found the creature bending over and picking up the keychain, which was left behind when he was blasted into the air.

"Argh, give that back!" Riku roared.

In alarm, the critter pocketed the Griever keychain and slowly waddled into the ruins. Riku staggered to his feet, spat on the ground in annoyance, and began his slow trudge to recover his stolen keychain.


	60. Centra Ruins

**Chapter LX:**

_Stupid… why… so annoying,_ Riku continuously nagged to himself as he descended into the ruins.

Even if it wasted his precious time, Riku knew he had to retrieve the Griever keychain. One reason was because it was a potentially powerful weapon in his arsenal. Another reason was because it was a gift from Leon, personally passed down to him. Thus, he must hold onto it. He had to get it back from that green creature.

There were many collections of lore along the walls of the dimly lit ruins. Near the entrance—the narrow passageway seemingly crushed because of some destructive event in the past—was especially filled with lore. It was in some writing that Riku could not decipher, but they bore resemblance to writings of most well developed, civilized societies. Occasionally, there were some written in very old-fashioned English, perhaps by neighboring establishments at the time period? Regardless, Riku took the effort to make out the writing.

"_Cease battle against the beings Tonberry, ere wanion the Tonberry King shalt bear upon thee―_"

"Tonberries," Riku muttered. _What…_

Riku concluded that those words seemed to have been written by a second party, by someone—or something—who dealt with the Tonberries at some point. He guessed that the Tonberry King must obviously be the leader of the pack.

_But the lore seem to be ridiculously ancient, how long have the Tonberries been down in the ruins for?_ Riku pondered. He moved onto another piece, engraved in cracked stone.

"_Beware our knives of pain!_"

_Well, that one sure seems to stand out,_ Riku thought in surprise.

It was a message engraved on an ancient slab of stone, but it seemed peculiarly out of place with all the other lore. Those few words seemed almost… mocking. Perhaps the ones engraved with the Tonberries' native language were all as directly worded as the one that Riku just took note of.

That was enough, though. Riku now knew that it was a Tonberry that took off with the Griever keychain. He definitely underestimated the short, little critter. Though he was sure they would pose no serious threat to him if he remained wary and vigilant, Riku knew that he had to rely on his own skills if he wanted to stay alive in these dark ruins.

Riku dashed deeper into the darkness, to what seemed to be a separate section in the ruins. A stone statue of a gargoyle guarded it, making it impossible for Riku to enter. Nonetheless, the Keyblade-wielder attempted with all his physical might to push the statue away. When the effort proved to be completely futile, Riku tried a combination of magic, light and dark, to move the obstacle. Still, oddly enough, the gargoyle statue did not budge.

Upon a closer look, Riku realized that the statue served more as a door than a mere path blocker. Imprinted across the front of the statue were six slots.

_It must be a combination lock_, Riku presumed.

He should deal with the puzzle later, after he retrieved his keychain. He doubted that the Tonberries designed the lock. They may be sophisticated enough to build lanterns, carry butcher knives, wear clothing, and create lore, but Riku still doubted that they were cunning enough to design locks.

"I am Odin," a voice echoed mightily through the ruins just as Riku ventured away from the statue and deeper into the ruins.

"Who's there?" Riku answered, one hand clasped around the hilt of his Keyblade. He pivoted around and around, glanced above and below him, but noted nothing that stood out as alive. "Odin…?"

"To him who doth vanquish me," the voice continued with the same powerful demeanor. "I grant my august powers."

Subsequently after the final word, an uncanny bell-like chime tolled twenty times, which Riku stood by and counted. He stood there for a minute, and in exactly one minute, the chime tolled nineteen times. Without wasting another second, Riku decided that he did not want to be anywhere near the ruins when the chime ticked to zero. He had a grim feeling that the countdown does not signify salvation of any sort. He had less then nineteen minutes. Riku realized that he must recover the Griever keychain and get out of the ruins before then.

Scurrying noises behind him, just like before.

"You!" Riku shouted as he spun around and faced this newcomer. Just as he thought, he looked straight into the eyes of a Tonberry.

The Tonberry seemed somewhat confused, as it tilted its head to one side in curiosity. In one hand it held the same lantern, and in the other it held a deadly butcher's knife. However, as if nature beckoned it to, the Tonberry began to slowly inch towards Riku.

"No, you don't!" Riku yelled out. He charged towards his foe with his Keyblade glowing with dark magic. "Not this time!"

He slashed across horizontally, leapt into the air, came back down to the ground with a vertical strike, and finalized the attack with a moderate explosion of dark magic. Riku flipped back a few feet and held his stance, waiting for the black smoke to clear.

The smoke cleared though, but Riku threw his head back in disgust. The Tonberry still stood its ground, though it stopped creeping towards him. Riku pointed the Way to the Dawn at the Tonberry, warning it to give up on the spot. After a momentary standoff, surprisingly, the Tonberry began to shuffle away in tears. Riku stood aghast, nearly dropping his Keyblade in the process.

"I'm sorry!" it cried out as it scurried back into the darkness.

The bell chimed fifteen times, forcing Riku back into reality.

_I wasted too much time, _he scolded himself. _I have to get the keychain back._

Riku turned to resume his trek through the ruins, only to be distracted once again by the familiar sound of scurrying noises. He halted, speedily scanning his surroundings: front, back, left, right, above, below. Again, Riku threw his head back in disgust as he found himself surrounded by Tonberries. One was trouble enough if he let his guard down, how in the world was he supposed to manage against hundreds? Or thousands? Riku could not tell. For all he knew, there were probably more lurking in the darkness behind all the ones that faced him at the time being.

The bell chimed fourteen times.

_I'll have to cut my way through,_ Riku finally decided. He charged up his Keyblade with the same dark magic from before.

"Come get me," Riku muttered to the Tonberries.

As all the Tonberries began to inch towards him, step by step, Riku lunged forward with his Keyblade fully extended. He blasted a purplish black sphere of energy through the line of Tonberries that stood directly in front of him, sending them all flying into the depths of the ruins. For those that closed in on him on the sides, Riku sliced horizontally in a windmill fashion, knocking back and knocking out a good portion of the Tonberries that were engulfing him. Some that came to close tried to jab Riku with their knives, though luckily, Riku had a few seconds to sidestep out of the way.

The bell chimed thirteen times.

One, two, ten, twelve, fifteen. Riku kept pushing through, cutting and blasting away at the Tonberries in the way. The defeated Tonberries let out their cries and scampered back into the darkness. The remaining ones continued to close the distance between Riku and them.

The bell chimed twelve times.

Eighteen, nineteen, twenty. Riku sped up the pace and began to leave the remaining Tonberries behind him. He was much too fast, and those that continued to stand in his way were sent flying. Riku slowed down for a moment to check his progress. The Tonberries were far behind him now, much to his liking. He had less than twelve minutes—

More eerie chimes. Eleven minutes.

A wave of energy came from behind Riku, nearly blasting him away. It was a good thing that Riku was still on high alert, and thanks to his absurd reflexes, Riku quickly evaded the attack by leaping high into the air. It was a similar black wave of energy as before, when a Tonberry knocked Riku into the sky outside of the ruins. However, this one was much larger, much faster, covered a much greater area, and obviously much more powerful. Just as Riku figured, the Tonberries were still pursuing him, as slowly as ever.

The bell chimed ten minutes.

As if on cue, all the Tonberries that were tracking Riku fled the scene. All these Tonberries that Riku had already faced, none of them seemed to be holding the Griever keychain. Somewhat aggravated, he gathered up a mass of dark energy and fired it off into the many Tonberries that were fleeing.

"Sorry!" they all cried out simultaneously. Riku thought it was almost too humorous of a sight. He decided to head back to where he came from, hoping one of the fleeing Tonberries was the one with the keychain, and hoping the keychain was dropped somewhere. Time was gradually running out, and he had better act quickly. But what caused the remaining Tonberries to abruptly flee? Certainly not because of him, since after everything Riku had already demonstrated, none of the remaining Tonberries seemed to have given up on pursuing him.

Suddenly, a loud stomp came from directly behind Riku. Immediately, the warrior spun around and pointed his Keyblade towards the new foe.

"Just another one," Riku muttered as he faced another Tonberry. "Wait…"

It took Riku a split second to realize that this Tonberry was far larger than the two-footers that he had faced all this time. It was nearly six feet tall, not quite as tall as Riku was, but still much more massive than the rest. It also bore a simple, golden crown on its head and still held a butcher's knife and a lantern in both its hands, albeit considerably larger ones. Then Riku remembered the lore he had read near the entrance to the ruins.

"Tonberry King," Riku grumbled to himself. "Right…"

A sudden speed boost from the Tonberry King caught Riku by surprise. He did not expect the Tonberry King to be _that_ fast. Fortunately for Riku, he was able to hold up his Keyblade to block a straightforward lunge by the Tonberry King. The creature was strong, as Riku could feel his knees buckling under the unrelenting force from the Tonberry King.

A subtle shine caught Riku's attention. He couldn't help but let out a quick mix of a gasp and a sigh of relief when he noticed the Griever keychain dangling on the stubby hilt of the Tonberry King's butcher knife. Riku had no time to wonder how the keychain got there in the first place, but at least now he had a reason to defeat this creature. With a surge of adrenaline, Riku found the strength to push the Tonberry King's knife to one side and launch a counter-attack. But once again, the Tonberry King caught Riku by surprise as it used its porpoisefin-shaped tale to clout Riku to the floor before the counter-attack landed. Responding quickly, Riku rolled out of the way just when the Tonberry King made a powerful stab towards him.

_Now's my chance!_ Riku thought quickly.

The Tonberry King's thick blade was briefly jammed into the ground, allowing Riku to quickly dash past the stout enemy and yank off the Griever keychain. The Tonberry King growled, slightly in annoyance. It stomped over to Riku and waved around its lantern, as if asking the Keyblade-wielder to hand back the keychain. Riku gave the creature a smirk and attached the Griever to his Keyblade. Immediately, it transformed into a brand new blade. The hilt was entirely silver—complete with the signature lion engraving—and the blade became black obsidian. Mixed with red decorations, the new blade appeared both angelic and demonic. Compared to the unmodified Way to the Dawn, the Griever custom was much lighter in weight, the blade was much longer, though thinner, and Riku could feel a peculiar energy generating from the vividly ornamented hilt.

Finally, the Tonberry King began to charge at Riku, but this time the Keyblade-wielder was fully prepared. With two strong vertical slashes, Riku released two bolts of black flames, something even he did not recognize. The first bolt of fire struck the Tonberry King directly in the abdomen, stunning it in its onslaught. The second bolt blasted straight into its chest, catapulting the Tonberry King into the air and into the ruins walls. The powerful magic was beyond overpowering for the Tonberry King, as the creature slid to the ground and ceased to move.

Riku slowly approached the fallen king and picked up the dropped butcher's knife. The blade was a good ten inches long; one good stab at Riku would have ended it all for him. Riku breathed a sigh of relief when he took a good long look at the Tonberry King. When Riku made the decision to start heading out of the ruins, he noticed the Tonberry King's broken lantern began to fade away. He glanced at the giant butcher's knife nearby, which was also disappearing. Riku then looked behind him at the defeated Tonberry King. Not surprisingly, it was fading away. Riku stayed there for a moment, watching the creature disappear into nothingness.

He was wrong, though. As soon as the Tonberry King's body seemed to have fully vanished, Riku noticed a small, rectangular piece of paper in the air, slowly drifting down to the spot where the Tonberry King had fallen. Riku cautiously walked back to the patch of ground, he looked up to the roof of the ruins, almost certain that he saw a ray of light emanating from above. The card on the ground sparkled briefly before it darkened. Progressively, an image of the Tonberry King was carved into the card. When it was completed, Riku bent over and picked it up. It was simple: just a small, though fairly thick, piece of paper with an image of the Tonberry King engraved on it. He decided to examine the card later and pocketed it.

The bell chimed two minutes.

Riku nearly forgot about the time. He tried to tear open a portal to escape the ruins, but for some unusual reason, he was unable to. In any attempt, the portal magic fizzled in the air. Instead of wasting time, Riku immediately made a run back for the exit. Hopefully two minutes would be enough for him to get out of this place. As he sprinted through the messy passageways, he noticed the glowing yellow eyes of Tonberries around him. Attempting to ignore all of them, Riku tried to speed up and avoid any more conflicts or distractions. However, it was a miserable attempt as he found himself blocked by Tonberries.

_Now what?_ he thought and cursed.

One of the Tonberries pointed to his pocket, where the Tonberry King's card resided. Riku confusedly reached in for it and took it out to show the crowd of Tonberries. The bell chimed only one time. Riku felt a bead of sweat slide down one side of his face.

"The king," some of the Tonberries said.

"I'm sorry," said Riku in a hasty tone of voice. "I had no choice."

None of the Tonberries seem to have any responses.

"Maybe," Riku continued. "You would like to keep this card…"

Riku bent over and handed one of the Tonberries the Tonberry King's card. When it took hold of it, nearby Tonberries inched over to take a closer look. Then one of the Tonberries handed the card back to Riku.

"You are," it started to say. "A strong warrior."

Riku took back the card and eyed the Tonberries curiously as the crowd began to separate, creating a path for Riku to walk through.

"What about your leader?" Riku asked.

"We will make a new one," some random Tonberry answered from the crowd.

The rest of the Tonberries waved their lanterns and piped in agreement. Riku smiled for a moment and nodded to the Tonberries. He was glad this whole escapade could perhaps end on a good note. Quickly, he resumed his escape from the ruins. The clock was still ticking. There was less than a minute remaining.

There was the exit, and Riku sped up in anxiety. Just a few more yards…

"The weak shall perish," the divine voice from before echoed. "The strong shall triumph."

The entrance vanished just before Riku could reach it and the ruins became pitch black.


	61. A Hero's Rebirth

**Chapter LXI:**

"What'll we do? What'll we do?" Panic yelped as he sidestepped out of the reach of Sora's slashes. "There's more of them than us!"

"Quit your yammerin'!" Pain grumbled in response. The moment he dropped his guard, Kairi released a ball of flame out of her Oathkeeper. "Oof!"

As Pain was blasted into the rocky wall, Panic began to show more fear and anxiety than he did throughout the duration of the battle. He transformed back into his measly, impish form and hurried over to his comrade. All that showed after the smoke cleared from Kairi's powerful Fire spell were two twitchy pink feet dangling from a hole in the wall.

"Pain!" Panic exclaimed as he started to yank on his friend's feet. "Don't worry, buddy! I'll get you outta there!"

Pain let out an odd muffling sound, as if he was swearing behind all the rubble and dust. Sora simply stood where he was as he idly watched the scrawny green imp attempt to pull his comrade out of the wall.

_What a joke, _Sora mentally remarked.

He called off his Keyblade and turned back to Kairi, who was also standing her ground right behind him. Donald and Goofy still had their respective weapons drawn and were beating off the last of the Shadow Heartless that remained in the vicinity.

"Where's King Mickey?" Sora asked after he noticed the missing member of the party. He scanned the area again, but there was no sign of the mouse king anywhere.

Kairi turned around and looked to Donald and Goofy, who in turn spastically inspected the locale—though they couldn't spot anything besides what Sora did already.

"We lost him again!" Donald babbled so quickly and raucously that it was nearly incoherent.

"He probably went on to catch up to Hercules," Kairi suggested wisely. "I think we should, too. Right, Sora?"

"Right," Sora agreed immediately.

The Keyblade master checked on Pain and Panic again. The results were pleasing, as the two demons did not progress at all. Pain continued to protest while Panic was nearly out of strength trying to yank his blubbery friend out to freedom.

"C'mon then, let's go!" Donald quacked heatedly as he led the charge deeper into the Underworld corridors.

Just as their group departed, Panic finally managed to dig Pain out of the rubble. The two demons listened until the footsteps faded out and glanced at each other.

"You think we stalled them long enough?" Panic asked in a worried tone.

"Oh, yeah," Pain snickered. "We took off a good twenty minutes or so?"

"Eesh, it felt like an hour to me," Panic moaned. "My back is killing me—"

"_Your_ back?!" Pain bellowed. He elbowed Panic right in the back, inducing a yelp from the green imp. "You don't have the right to talk about 'pain!' What about _me?!_"

"Okay! Uncle!"

* * *

Hades paced around in fury, his flaming hair spontaneously turning a blistering red. The Three Fates—Atropos, Clotho, and Lachesis, absentmindedly stood by while watching the God of the Dead curse and complain. The river Styx glowed eerily nearby, the souls of the dead crying out in their damned states. Every few moments, the familiar face of a soul swims by, much to Hades' spite.

"We were so close! So close…" Hades spat. "We tripped the finish line. Why? Because our little _nut_ Meg has to go all noble—"

The wall near where Hades was pacing around suddenly blew apart, catching the ruler of the Underworld off guard. As he quickly regained his balance, he felt his fury rising again as he witnessed his three-headed guard dog leashed by Hercules.

"Where's Meg?" Hercules asked calmly, but threateningly.

"Oh, look who's here," Hades said just as calmly to the Three Fates as well as to himself. "_Wonderboy,_ you are too much—"

And as quickly as the force of the charge blew him back, Hades found himself lifted into the air by the collar, looking into the eyes of a beyond-outraged Hercules.

"Let her go," Hercules said slowly, this time with an added hint of threat.

"Get a grip!" Hades spat as he slapped Hercules' muscular arms away. "Come here, come here. Let me show you around."

Hercules carefully eyed Hades as his so-called uncle led him around the vicinity. The two of them stopped at the edge of the river Styx. Hercules eyes widened at the sight of all the tormented souls that swam in a constant, eternal loop in the deathly river.

"Hmph. Well, well," Hades commented as the figure of Meg drifted by fleetingly. "It's a small underworld after all, huh?"

"Meg!" Hercules gasped.

The hero reached into the river to attempt to drag Meg's soul out to him. However, the river was made up of an aura composed of pure death. Hercules yelled out in alarm and watched as his living hand morph into a near skeletal form when it touched the river. Much to his relief, his hand quickly returned to its original shape when he pulled it back.

"No, no, no. Mustn't touch," Hades chuckled amusedly at Hercules' dumbfounded look. "You see, Meg's running with a new crowd these days. And not a very lively one, at that."

Hercules continued to follow Meg's soul with his eyes as Hades rambled on. What could he possibly do? He had to think. There was probably no way that Hades would allow him to leave the Underworld in one piece. What would a true hero do?

"You like making deals," Hercules suddenly spoke. "Take me in Meg's place."

"Oh," Hades grunted in surprise. He thought for a moment and mumbled to himself. "The son of my hated rival trapped forever in a river of death…"

"Going once!" Hercules shouted.

"…Hmm. Is there a downside to this…?"

"Going twice!"

"Okay, okay, okay, okay," Hades muttered impatiently. "You get her out—she goes, you stay—"

After the first "okay," Hercules was already preparing to dive into the river Styx.

"Oh, you know what slipped my mind?" Hades called out, though already out of Hercules' hearing range. "You'll be dead before you can get to her. That's not a problem, is it?"

Hercules swam deeper as fast as he could, albeit he could feel every drop of strength he had in his body getting sapped away rapidly. His once bulging forearms and biceps promptly shriveled as he prolonged his stay in the river of death. When Meg's soul was in sight, Hercules proceeded to speed up and grab her. If only his body allowed him to. Though his mind told him to speed up, and though adrenaline filled every nerve and remaining muscle fiber in his body, Hercules found his speed gradually decrease instead of increase.

The eldest of the Three Fates, Atropos, unveiled her dirty sheaths. In the meantime, her sisters, Clotho and Lachesis prepared Hercules' life thread. Once a mortal's life thread gets snipped by Atropos' sheaths, the life—any life—young, old, healthy, or sick, will face death. Quickly unraveled and spun, Clotho stretched Hercules' thread out so Lachesis could measure its length. With a nod of approval, Clotho pulled the tips of the thread apart as tightly as possible and faced Atropos. The eldest Fate brought the blades of the sheath closer and closer to the thread…

Just down the river, Mickey plastered himself against a thick pillar, observing the entire scene. As soon as he realized that no matter what the outcome, neither Hercules nor Meg could leave the Underworld if the Three Fates cut Hercules' life thread. In an attempt at sniping, Mickey unleashed a bolt of lightning towards Atropos' sheaths. Of course, the Fates were not human, thus Lachesis immediately summoned a magic wall to deflect Mickey's Thunder spell.

"Nuh-uh," Lachesis screeched, shaking a bony index finger at Mickey. "You mustn't disrupt the fate of any living being. What is their destiny, they cannot prevent from happening."

Mickey saw one good thing that came out of his failed attempt to stop the ritual. Atropos was momentarily distracted, pulling away her sheaths for a moment. As soon as she realized that she was in no danger, however, she advanced on Hercules' life thread.

Hercules felt the tips of Meg's fingers.

_This is what a true hero would do,_ he told himself. _A true hero will put others' lives before his. The innocents', the fairs', and the meeks' will all be saved before he saves his own…_

Atropos aggressively jammed her fingers together to end Hercules' life. Mickey looked away when he expected the worst. He could hear Hades laughing a laugh of victory.

"Oh?" Atropos gasped when the thread did not cut. Lachesis tilted her head in question.

"What's the matter with these scissors?" Lachesis spat, as she tried to cut the thread herself.

"The thread won't cut!" Clotho sputtered as she stretched and retracted Hercules' life thread—which was now emitting a bright, radiant glow—back and forth, trying to snap it herself.

Mickey wanted to cheer out loud, but he did not want to be seen again by anyone, let alone Hades.

"Your Majesty," someone whispered behind Mickey.

Mickey looked behind him and was reassured by the presence of Sora, Kairi, Donald, and Goofy. Without delay, he shared with them what had just happened, everything from Hercules' deal with Hades, up to denying the fate that had supposedly been dealt to him.

"Everyone controls their own destiny," Sora stated as-a-matter-of-factly.

"T-this is—this is impossible!" Hades sputtered in total confusion and anger, his normally blue hair blasting into the air in furious red, orange, and yellow colors. "Y-you, you, you c-can't be alive! You'd have to be a, a—"

"A god?" Sora, Kairi, Mickey, Donald, and Goofy all said simultaneously, as well as two unexpected guests, Pain and Panic, who managed to enter the scene at the last moment on the opposite side of this Underworld sector.

Hercules emerged out of the river Styx, his whole body restored to its divine characteristics. From head to toe, he glowed brilliantly, a sight that Sora, Donald, and Goofy had never witnessed during their past adventures in this world. In Hercules' arms was the soul of Meg, fragile and motionless. He was without emotion on his face, not happy, angry, or sad.

"Hercules, stop! You can't do this to me! You can't—" Hades was cut short when the passing Hercules jabbed his powerful fist right into the middle of Hades' face. Sputtering, Hades tried to resume negotiations with Hercules. "Fine. Okay, listen. Hah! Okay, well, I deserved that… Herc, Herc, Herc. Can we talk? Y-your dad, he's a fun guy, right? So maybe you could put in a word with him and he'd kinda blow this whole thing off, you know? Meg, Meg, talk to him, a little schmooze—"

The whole attempt was negated when an enraged and annoyed Hercules wound his arm back and struck a devastating blow across Hades' face to silence him, sending the God of the Dead soaring into the air and directly into the river Styx.

"Ew! Get away from me! Don't touch me!" Hades roared as he tried to keep his head above the deathly waters of the river. The souls that had been swimming in the river for countless eons swarmed Hades, dragging the ex-ruler of the Underworld deep into the river, his voice of protest gradually fading away. "Get your slimy souls off me…! Ooh, ah—"

"He's not gonna be happy when he gets outta there," Panic whimpered.

"You mean, _if_ he gets outta there," Pain corrected his friend.

Panic gave those words a thought and smirked in satisfaction.

"If… if is good…"

* * *

All at once, when Hercules blasted through the walls of the Underworld with Meg in his arms, Sora and the rest of the party quickly turned back to where they came from, vacating the accursed Underworld. For the most part, there were no drastic threats that hindered them, aside from a few varieties of leftover Heartless. Once they caught the glimpse of light peeking through the Underworld entrance, they ignored all the pursuing Heartless and dashed for their exit.

The Heartless that roamed the Underworld dared not to step into the light, which was blinding to all of them. With no other choice, they slinked back into the darkness of the deep, allowing Sora and the rest of the party their safety and their freedom. With sighs of relief, the group collapsed onto the sandy terrain, much to their joy after traversing through the clammy, damp, and moldy environment of the Underworld.

Hercules, on the contrary, did not waste any time enjoying the sunlight and the different earth. He blew out a strong whistle, which swiftly called Pegasus to the scene. He placed the near weightless soul of Meg near Pegasus' sturdy neck and comfortably boarded on his own.

Sora and Kairi watched as the silhouette of the flying horse vanished through the clouds. Mickey, Donald, and Goofy already embarked on the Celsius, waiting for the two young warriors to step onboard as well.

"What I would do to be like him," Sora commented, more to himself than to anyone else.

"You're already like him," Kairi said encouragingly. She lightly nudged Sora's arm. "C'mon, let's catch up to him."

"Hah, what am I saying," Sora said with a grin as he followed Kairi back to the Celsius. "Everyone's unique. I should just be me."

"Got that right," said Mickey. "Let's get goin' everyone—"

"Look!" Donald quacked excitedly.

"Sora, look!" Kairi called out, pointing to the entrance of the Underworld.

Luckily the Gummi ship was still on land. Sora quickly leapt out with his Keyblade in hand and faced the Underworld's entrance. Slowly, the shape of a keyhole appeared before him.

"Er, how come now it appears?" Goofy asked, scratching his head in bewilderment.

"It's time for the Underworld to sink back to where it came from," Mickey answered. "Hmph, _under_ this world. Where it belongs."

As soon as the keyhole came fully into view, Sora positioned himself directly in front of it and carefully leveled the tip of the Oblivion towards it. A magical beam shot out and entered the keyhole. A click, and it was done.

Sora climbed back onboard the Celsius and nodded to Mickey. In a moment, they took off into the sky, back to Thebes, where Phil was surely there, waiting and taking care of Meg's lifeless body.

Looking out the windows, Sora and Kairi watched the entrance of the Underworld explode with a thunderous crackle, with pillars of smoke and smog streaming out of it. The rocky makeup of the entrance collapsed, with the entire mass of land there sinking into the earth with it. As the Celsius soared further away and the smoke and smog dissolved into the air around it, Sora and Kairi smiled together at the conclusion of the Underworld's vanishing act.


	62. Is There Hope?

**Chapter LXII:**

Riku thought he became blind when he opened his eyes and saw absolutely nothing. He felt his face with both his hands, checking if he was still in one piece.

_Where am I?_ he wondered. _Am I alive?_

Reaching out with one foot, Riku attempted to find his way through the total darkness. It was arduous, as he was not accustomed to such an environment at first. He found himself stumbling, not knowing what lay in front of him. It was only until he ran into what felt like a solid wall did Riku fully regain his sense of being and balance.

It was not a wall, though. When Riku added just a bit of pressure, it swung open, revealing an opening. A handful of light emptied out, forcing Riku—who had just begun to adapt to the darkness, to flinch. Inside was a room of grand proportions, unlike anything Riku had seen before. It was oddly out of place, from when he vanished from the ruins and into obscurity.

"The weak shall perish. The strong shall triumph," a familiar, great voice spoke.

Riku spun around and found himself locked inside this room with nowhere to turn. Again he pivoted around and around, trying to find out where he was and who was speaking to him. Like a cornered mouse, Riku summoned his Keyblade and stood his ground, constantly surveying his surroundings.

Suddenly, a phantasmal entity appeared in the center of the room, right in front of Riku. As grand as the room itself, this newly arrived being caught Riku completely by surprise. Riku toppled over and found himself on the ground, gazing at the being that formed in front of him. It appeared to be a colossal man riding on top of a gargantuan horse. This entity donned a demonic knight helmet and was armed with a massive shield and a wicked blade. His horse was armor-clad, and appeared more than just threatening. Riku could only stare as this divine being turned to face him.

"I am Odin," the being spoke. "Prevail over my sword, and I shall grant it to thee."

Riku broke out of his astounded trance and stood back up. Still reaching no more than past the kneecap of Odin's steed, Riku pointed his Keyblade towards Odin.

"I dunno what's going on here," Riku muttered. "But I do plan on getting out of here alive."

"Excellent," Odin answered. "For honor… let us fight!"

* * *

Sora, Kairi, Mickey, Donald, and Goofy could do nothing more than to watch as Hercules gently carried the soul of Meg back to the lifeless woman's body. Sora could barely watch, as he periodically closed his eyes, or averted them towards the dimly lit sky. Kairi was tense and had her fingers crossed, hoping for the best with all her heart. Mickey retained his solemn look and demeanor, his mouth shut and his eyes closed. Both Donald and Goofy had their hats to their chests, perhaps mentally praying for the greatest possible outcome.

"C'mon…" whispered Phil, who had been waiting patiently for the group's return.

"Meg," Hercules called out softly.

Meg's body twitched and the seemingly hopeless group instantly had their eyes locked onto the once motionless body. Hercules, glowing with all his godlike radiance, found himself smiling, with unparalleled feelings of relief and bliss.

"…Wonderboy," was Meg's first word; strained, but still coming from the voice of one that recently departed from the world of the living. "What—why did you—"

"Huh. People always do crazy things… when they are in love," Hercules responded, using some of Meg's last words from an earlier time.

A teary-eyed Kairi wanted to yelp, scream, and cheer in happiness at the sight of a reunited Hercules and Meg. Sora heaved a heavy sigh of relief and fulfillment as he watched the two lean in for a kiss. Before contact though, a white puffy cloud appeared beneath the feet of Hercules and Meg, carrying them into the air.

"Whoa!" Phil called out in confusion. Luckily for him, Pegasus swooped in to lift him into the air as well. "Hey, hey, hey! Whoo!"

The mountainside beyond opened up, revealing a splendid array of celestial, golden lights. Sora did not need anyone telling him that he was seeing Mount Olympus, the home of the gods. Kairi was awed, but she too knew what she was witnessing before her. The celebrating gods, with not an ounce of sorrow remaining in the atmosphere anymore, surrounded Hercules and Meg.

"Three cheers for the mighty Hercules!" cried Areus.

"Oh, yeah! Flowers for everyone!" the god Hermes cheered.

Sora and the rest of the group looked on from below, taking in the amazing sight. It was everything, but sorrow and anger. The atmosphere radiated with bliss, ecstasy, and feelings of triumph—an apparently long forgotten feeling.

"There's the Sora-smile we all know," said Donald, giving Sora a wink.

"Oh," said Sora, touching his own mouth for a moment.

"Hmm, it's been awhile, huh?" added Kairi.

"Tell me about it," Sora answered in agreement. "Everything seemed pretty close to hopeless for a bit."

"Just for a bit, but no worries!" Goofy exclaimed merrily.

Sora smiled once more; showing a genuine, satisfied smile. Again, the group turned their gazes back towards the heavens, where the divine glows of the gods continued to shine as brightly as ever. The gods were still cheering, still celebrating their victory over the dreaded Titans and the return of the triumphant Hercules. It seemed that this world would finally be safe at last.

Before they could turn to depart, Pegasus swooped down back to earth with, surprisingly, Hercules and Meg on his back. The divine glow was nowhere to be found on Hercules anymore either. Sora, Kairi, Donald, and Goofy were the first to react in utter confusion. Mickey, on the other hand, remained at ease.

"I don't get it Hercules," Sora started. "Weren't you just gonna go home to Mount Olympus?"

"I can't," Hercules answered. The hero turned to face Meg, who was standing closely at his side. "Not if I had to live my life up there without Meg. It isn't worth it."

"Oh, uh…" Sora stammered, not knowing if he agreed or whether or not he even understood.

"It's okay, Sora," Hercules said with a cheerful grin, looking up towards the clouds surrounding Mount Olympus. "My parents understood. I have their blessings…"

"That is _so_ great," Kairi cried out, almost squealing. "I am so happy for you two!"

"Y-yeah!" Sora added. "It _is_ great!"

"Thank you all," said Meg. "None of this would have been possible if you hadn't all showed up."

"T'was nothin', nothin' at all," Donald sputtered. He stood firmly upright and saluted Hercules and Meg. "It's our job!"

More light shone through the clouds, brightening up the land around them. And wondering if he was imagining things, Sora thought he heard serene voices in the offset, somewhere beyond the horizons; voices that sounded distant, yet as clear as if coming from no more than a foot away.

"Ya hear that, guys?" asked Mickey, as if purposefully answering Sora's silent question. "That might be the song of the Muses."

"Hey, I think you're right, King Mickey!" said Hercules, putting a hand to his ear to listen more closely. "Everything turned out right."

"Wish we could stay longer, though," said Sora. "You know our routines…"

"That's right," Hercules remarked. "You've got a job to do. A hero's job."

"And a heroine's job," Meg added just for Kairi, giving the girl a wink.

After bidding their farewells, Sora, Kairi, Mickey, Donald, and Goofy boarded the Celsius and the Gummi ship took off into the morning sky. It had been a long and difficult battle here, but they all managed to pull through. Sora felt that he had regained the old hope that he felt had been dwindling away as the journey progressed. A resurgence of optimism filled him: if everything could turn out the way it did for this world, then this battle may be worthwhile after all, even if it did seem like a losing battle on occasions.

As for Kairi, she developed new confidence, knowing that if she remained at Sora's side, things could always turn for the better. It was her duty to fight alongside him… now that Kairi felt that her role in this journey was one that only she could fulfill.


	63. Odin

**Chapter LXIII:**

Riku thought his last assault was his deadliest yet. But even then, when his blade struck the armored Odin in the neck, the recoil nearly knocked the Keyblade master off his feet. Looking up at the demigod-like being that towered above him, Riku realized that he might be outmatched in this situation, as there was not a single dent in the armor that protected Odin's neck. The armor radiated with an eerie power, as well as supreme divinity.

"Cease not," Odin beckoned with authority.

Regardless of the fact that he was at a clear disadvantage in this bout, Riku resumed a fighter's stance and faced his opponent. He remained focused towards his goal: to escape from this mysterious obstacle in his journey.

Again Riku dashed forward and slashed through the air with his Keyblade, unleashing a barrage of lightning-fast attacks against Odin. But again, powerful foe stood his ground, as if he barely felt Riku's relentless offense. Fighting an entity that refused to counteract began to irritate Riku after a period of time. Without thinking further, Riku infused his Keyblade with dark energy and struck down on the armored knight's metallic helm with all his might.

The strike released sparks upon contact with Odin's mighty armor and the excess dark energy scattered across the battlefield. All the commotion only drew a slight turn from Odin's head.

"Thou art skilled with the sword…" Odin complimented.

With those few words, Odin made a move towards his giant sheathed blade at his waist. Riku's eyes followed his foe's movements, but as much as he mentally pushed himself to act, the warrior could only blankly stare forward.

"…Witness my own," Odin spoke. "With my _Zantetsuken._"

"Za—what?" Riku gasped.

Before the Keyblade master could muster another word, Odin and his great stallion rushed towards him with unrealistic speed. Unable to get out of the way in time, Riku shifted his Keyblade in front of him in an attempt to block Odin's inevitable onslaught. For a fleeting moment, Riku thought he witnessed a smirk curl in the corner of Odin's tightly sealed mouth.

Still, Riku's defense was nothing more than a feeble nuisance to Odin's Zantetsuken. With a swift horizontal slash, Riku felt his body break as he was sent crashing backwards over a great distance. Unable to stand after the violent collision with the rocky wall, Riku groaned in agony, as well as frustration, as he struggled to just keep his grip on his Keyblade. And as if one ill-fated event meant to chain to another, Riku looked forward with one eye to see Odin dismount his stallion and slowly march towards him.

Once Odin reached Riku, the demigod pointed his colossal sword at his adversary yet again. This time, Riku forced himself to use whatever energy he had left within him to move his smashed muscles and joints, to finally get back on his feet.

"I… w-won't lose," Riku said with great effort. "There has to be… a way…"

"Thou art fortunate, for eluding this blade," commented Odin, raising his Zantetsuken in preparation for one last strike. "I shall miss no more."

_[_"_You've chosen a road I never thought of. Light and dark, back to back. With you, they mingle in a way no one's ever seen before. I want to see where that road leads_—"_]_

Mickey's words from the past resurfaced in Riku's mind. Here was the power of the light and the darkness, a unique fusion that Riku had mysteriously gained control of over time. A Keyblade that reflected both light and darkness: the Way to the Dawn.

Riku yelled out as he pushed off from the ground to counter against Odin's fatal attack. With his Keyblade radiating a great mixture of bright light and sinister darkness, Riku managed to sneak under Odin's great blade with surprising agility and made an all-or-nothing assault against his powerful foe. He realized that if he failed now, the duel could be over—and not in his favor. Within these few seconds of total perplexity and complete chaos, Riku barely reacted quickly enough to whip his Keyblade across Odin's armored abdomen, escaping the perilous Zantetsuken.

His own attack was powerful enough to knock himself down, as Riku tumbled to the side as he completed his offense against his titanic opponent. Out of breath and unquestionably out of energy, even Riku admitted to himself that he was far beyond his physical limit. To suddenly move again would fully break him.

After what felt like an eternity, Riku tried his best to steady his head so he could turn his attention to Odin, who remained standing just a few feet away from him. But the demigod merely let out a hesitant grunt as he turned his head around to look at the crippled Riku.

"…Thou art strong, mortal."

Riku opened his mouth in response, but found no voice. He could not believe that he was far too exhausted to even speak. A thin, yet highly conspicuous line stretched from the center of Odin's abdomen around to the demigod's back: the result of Riku's ultimate attack. Gradually, Odin began to fade, much to Riku's disbelief.

"Honor, glory," Odin bellowed. "…I shall grant thee my powers."

This time, Riku managed to squeeze out some incoherent gasps.

"Call upon me in times of trouble…" Odin concluded as the armored knight vanished into oblivion. Where he stood, a card similar to the one of the Tonberry King slowly glided down from the air.

Still doubting the fact that he had defeated the mighty Odin in a one-on-one, sword-to-sword duel, Riku progressively built up some strength he obtained in relief to inch closer and closer to the leftover card. Indeed it was exactly the same as the Tonberry King card; the only difference was that the image of Odin was engraved in the center instead.

Exactly how do these cards work, and what purpose do they serve? Riku took some time to rest and ponder these thoughts as he sprawled himself face-flat over the ground. He held the two cards close to his face and examined the thick pieces of paper with one eye.

"No idea," Riku muttered out loud. He closed his eyes as he began to succumb to his overwhelming fatigue. "…Damn."

The short, but taxing battle with Odin was one that Riku figured he would have lost if it had not been for his acceptance of his dark powers. It was not like he had become darkness itself, but simply made use of the powers of darkness in unison with the powers of light.

As Riku faded into unconsciousness, the last images that circulated through his blurry mind were pieces of memories from Destiny Islands. He heard a mixture of voices, some from Sora from their childhood years, complaining about him running too fast and too far ahead. He heard Kairi's younger voice, though just as soft and cheerful as she sounded at the present time. He heard Mickey's as well, with the same words regarding his special ability to link together both light and dark.

For all Riku knew, he still had a job to do.


	64. Apprehension

**Chapter LXIV:**

An enraged Maleficent fired a green bolt of energy from her scepter right at a magical mirror she summoned, shattering it instantly. As soon as she witnessed Hades' defeat, she knew that her army was dealt a significant blow. If events continued to progress against her favor, it would only be a matter of time before darkness became sealed again. Thus, if she wished to move towards victory, the mystery of Kingdom Hearts had to be solved right away.

Pacing around the balcony of her stronghold in Costa Island, Maleficent plotted out her next moves. At the moment, her two loyal Heartless commanders continued to pursue the mutinous Nobody commanders. Once Sarlix and Xymgrel are defeated, Maleficent knew that she can gain total control over the Nobodies. And if she could control all the Heartless and Nobodies—a thought that brought an ominous grin to the dark sorceress' face—she could simultaneously own the superior quantity of Heartless combatants and quality of Nobody warriors.

Waving her scepter through the smoggy air around her, Maleficent summoned a dark portal in the sky, introducing more Heartless into the world. Various poured out: basic Shadows, Soldiers, many Neoshadows and Large Bodies, numerous Armored Knights, Jazzes, Rhapsodies, and other unusual varieties.

If she were in the shoes of the opposing warriors of light, she would head to the nearest world plagued by darkness closest to the Olympus Coliseum. Again smirking at the thought, this time more so from her sinister cunning, Maleficent tore open another portal by her newly summoned Heartless army and ordered her underlings to traverse across the void to hinder her obstacles. Maleficent knew for a fact that this relatively large army would not be able to defeat the powers of the Keyblades, but she was certain that they would be able to at least temporarily interfere with Sora and his friends' campaign.

Once Maleficent completed that task on her agenda, she had to figure out a way to access Kingdom Hearts once again, much like Xemnas did not too long ago. Her reign will be complete once she takes over Kingdom Hearts: the heart of all worlds.

* * *

Hiding out in an abandoned library in an unmapped location, Sarlix and Xymgrel continuously browsed through books, articles, papers, and whatever pieces of information they had gathered over the period of their existence. Since when did they begin to feel the need to understand how and why they had come into being, they did not know. As unfortunate as their tale may seem, they were intrigued by the whole ordeal.

For Sarlix, the split from her original self was nothing more than a blur. She was interested in the scientific portion of this process, of how her human form became the dual Heartless-Nobody entities. And because Xymgrel was born shortly after she was, she ceaselessly pried Xymgrel for information.

"It felt like my heart exploded," he explained once before. "Like it was razed into millions of pieces and then ejected out of me."

Sarlix put one hand on the left side of her chest, where her heart was supposed to be. There was no heartbeat. There was no flow. Here sorcery and darkness, the two aspects of this world that kept her existence in tact, bound her body.

"I don't really remember much else," admitted Xymgrel. "Or anything prior to that."

"Well, I don't even remember that part," said Sarlix. "But now I can't tell if remembering such memories is a good thing…"

Xymgrel flipped open a dusty, thick, leather-bound tome and let it drop onto a desk. He flipped through the first few pages, which contained primarily historical texts and lore about the heart of all worlds.

"Kingdom Hearts."

Sarlix peeked over and skimmed a few lines for herself.

"We know that much," she noted. "But keep that around, it may be useful at some point."

Xymgrel closed the book and placed in a tall pile that the two Nobody commanders have collected during their strenuous research. There were still probably thousands of books lined across hundreds of bookshelves in the library they were in. It seemed to be in quite the remote location, as there was not a sound to be heard besides the occasional rustling of pages from books and tomes. It was a relaxing environment for the mind.

All these books and articles were written by researchers of light and darkness, people who were curious about these two invisible forces that run throughout the worlds. To Sarlix and Xymgrel's amusement, Ansem himself wrote a majority of the books, along with some of his apprentices in their earlier days.

Still, many of their findings resulted in frustration. There were numerous occasions in which Sarlix encountered the same lore each time she scanned through a different book or article. Most of the time it regarded past Keyblade-wielders, or some sort of darkness threat, and finally Kingdom Hearts. What irritated her the most was that there no explanations as to _why_ everything repeatedly happened the way everything had happened. Each time, the story generally the same, with few outlying events.

First, the powers of light and dark will be in equilibrium, completely balanced, and in peace. But darkness constantly tips the scales when the darkness in the hearts of living beings grows to be uncontrollable. Thus, the Heartless are born along with their Nobody halves.

When dark powers overcome the powers of light, several individuals are selected to handle the legendary Keyblades. Eventually, these warriors journey across the realms to combat the Heartless and seal the corrupted hearts from which the excess darkness was born.

Usually, the warriors will be successful in their missions and finally lock all the keyholes throughout several worlds, ridding the threats of darkness. Yet, in some occasions, hence the few outlying events, there will be individuals who strive on feeding on darkness, who stand to eliminate all signs of light. What was constant though, was that these individuals never seem to succeed. In time—and usually in a short period of time—the Keyblade-wielders fulfill their purposes and defeat individuals harnessed with the powers of darkness.

Xehanort. Organization XIII. Maleficent. If history constantly repeated itself, then how should the present and future be any different? The Heartless and Nobodies will once again sneak back into the shadows, sealed away by the might of the Keyblades. Maleficent will fall in defeat and the balance between light and dark will return to equilibrium.

But why has there always been a disruption in the balance? How come the light never seemed to be able to counteract the darkness? Was there a way?

Sarlix slammed shut another book that had proven to be useless to her once again. She put both hands over her forehead in frustration as she pondered the purpose of her existence over and over. Nearby, Xymgrel had already stopped his attempt in finding out more information regarding light and darkness. The both of them were born from darkness, separated from their human hearts because of the darkness within their weakened hearts. As regrettable, yet uncontrollable aspect of living things as darkness was, there had to be something to fight against it. That would have to be light.

Again, Sarlix groped her head in aggravation. She went in a complete circle. What she just considered was what had happened so many times throughout history.

"Your face looks like that Sora boy's you constantly toyed with before," Xymgrel idly commented.

"I know what he felt like," spat Sarlix. "This is getting nowhere. Let's go."

"Ah, ah!" a voice called from outside.

Without thinking further and reacting by reflex, Sarlix and Xymgrel instantly got up from their seats and tore open a dark portal into the Corridors of Darkness. Without hesitating, they entered the void and vanished from the library, leaving no trace of the time they spent there. Moments later, the library door splintered into two pieces and was bashed clear of the entranceway. Four eerie yellow eyes from two giant Heartless peered in, along with a familiar fat-bodied, cat-like character.

"Now whaddaya know," said Pete, making a late entrance. "They've ditched us already."

Grymox pivoted around and lifted Pete into the air by the bumbling villain's collar. The Heartless commander's glowing eyes radiated anger and threatening menace as Pete struggled to free himself.

"_If it weren't for your oversized mouth,_" Grymox warned. "_They'd be decimated by now._"

"_Let's just slice him up now,_" Syx suggested. "_And tell the mistress this fool got into… a little accident._"

"H-hey, now, wait!" Pete gasped in panic. "I didn't do nothin' harmful! Let's talk about this 'round teatime, huh—"

Grymox snorted and tossed the panicking Pete out of the library's window. Syx, who had her bladed claws extended, ready to carry out her own cruel suggestion, growled in disappointment as her toy vanished from her sight.

"_Not even worth killing,_" Grymox spoke telepathically. "_Leave him. The idiot's lost without us anyway._"

Syx nodded in agreement and summoned another dark portal. The two Heartless commanders then left the library, continuing their pursuit of their Nobody halves.

Outside, Pete rolled around before spastically easing up onto his feet. At first, he wanted to cheer that he was free from the baleful Heartless commanders that struck him with incessant fear and torment, but when he realized that he was in the middle of nowhere—with not a mountain, pond, tree, or blade of grass in sight—without weapons, sustenance, or a stolen Gummi ship in his cache, he wanted to bury himself alive under the merciless sun.

"Now how do I get myself out of this here predicament," Pete muttered to himself.

Perhaps Sora was correct when he considered Pete to be somewhat dim. However, after a period of wandering and experimenting, Pete realized something he should have a very long time ago.

"Forgot I could use the darkness!" he yelled out loud, bashing his head in response to his stupidity.

Right away, Pete extended his big hands and forced open a similar portal that the Heartless and Nobodies summon and entered the void, traversing into another world unknown to him.

* * *

Back in the Celsius, the crew decided to split up once more, allowing Sora and Kairi to deal with the crisis in Agrabah and Mickey, Donald, and Goofy to scout for other signs of trouble. The party was much more comfortable with their situation after their episode around Olympus. They all mutually felt, including the ever-cautious King Mickey, that they were on the winning side of their exigent conflict.


	65. Welcome to Agrabah

**Chapter LXV:**

Sora and Kairi were dropped off on the outskirts of Agrabah, in the arid desert dunes. The old city could be seen in the distance, past the hazy air generated by the relentless heat. Both Sora and Kairi agreed that being dropped off in the desert could give them the chance to explore. Although Sora was somewhat ready for the desert heat, feeling prepared and actually being in the situation were two entirely different scenarios. As for Kairi, whose only experience of heat came from balmy summer days on the sandy beaches of Destiny Islands, the unforgiving rays from the scorching sun did her no good at all.

"Sora, we're going to die out here," Kairi yelled out in complaint. "To think that being trapped in a desert with you would be fun…"

Sora, who was walking considerably farther ahead of Kairi, spun around and raised an eyebrow in question.

"What!" he exclaimed. "Is that the only reason why you agreed to being dropped off in the desert in the first place?"

"…Ye—" Kairi started to answer, a slight blush appearing on her cheeks. "I, um… nope."

Sora sighed, not knowing how to respond. It was about time that he realized that this was not the same Kairi that patiently waited for his and Riku's return nearly two years ago. Here she was, by his side, for once the two not separated from one another. But Sora did not know exactly what Kairi's opinions or feelings were of him. In addition, Sora did not want to even consider asking, not knowing how he would respond to the unknown answers. What did he think? Of course he thought about how the two of them got along with each other over the years. And of course the relationship was nothing like the bond between Riku and him, with other guys his age around Destiny Islands.

_Excuse me,_ Sora thought to himself. _Kairi's a girl._

So he stopped in his tracks and scratched his head in wonder. Sora considered Kairi his closest friend. A little too close? Not as close as could be? Or could be closer? Ought to be? These were age-old questions that he had stored in the back of his mind. This was probably the first time he had ever considered answering. He _did_ truthfully and sincerely want to share a legendary Paopu fruit with Kairi. Did Kairi want to? Would she want to? Again, Sora never really thought about it, but neither did he want to find out at the moment. The thoughts were distractions to the task at hand.

Their journey so far had brought them closer. _That,_ Sora knew was true. If the two of them were to be separated in the present moment, Sora felt that he would break. Would he have in the past? Perhaps, but Sora knew not in the same way. What was this feeling?

"Why'd you stop, Sora?" Kairi asked from behind his back.

"I-I, uh—" Sora sputtered, caught by surprise in his mind-boggling thoughts. "Nothin'. Just thinking about some… some stuff."

"Oh?" Kairi asked humorously as she nudged Sora forward. "Keep walking, and you can tell me about it, okay?"

Sora did start walking again, but he had no intention on telling Kairi anything. Not yet.

"Um, it's a guy thing," Sora replied, improvising. "Yeah, you won't get it."

"That's a dumb excuse," Kairi said with a frown.

"Maybe some other time?" said Sora, smiling as wide as possible to better the situation.

Kairi returned Sora's smile playfully. Knowing what was on Sora's mind was not so important to Kairi that she had to have it. It did not matter to her if Sora chose not to say something, since she knew that he never meant her any harm. It simply became mutual over the years, as the two of them gained unique respect for each other.

"_Maybe_," Sora teased, turning around and blocking Kairi's path.

Suddenly, the earth began to rumble, like a miniature earthquake. Without warning and acting purely on reflex, Sora grabbed Kairi by the arm and pulled her to the side.

"Watch out—!" Sora called out.

Moments before landing on the hot sand, Sora and Kairi looked to their left and caught sight of a group of marauders on horseback charging straight towards Agrabah. It was a frightening sight, as each rider carried lethal swords, scimitars, and daggers. There had to be at least three-dozen, Sora estimated, probably around forty. Meanwhile, Kairi showed a mixture of surprise and fear on her face; not exactly sure what she felt more of.

The riders were all wrapped in robes or tunics, most of them had their heads and faces covered, much like bandits. Perhaps these marauders were some variety of criminals, or maybe raiders. However, Sora was not too concerned about that at the moment.

Oddly enough, not a single marauder appeared to notice Sora and Kairi, as they continued their rampage towards Agrabah without pausing at all. The chaos generated great plumes of sand, kicked up by the powerful horses. Unable to stray too far without becoming aggravated by the sand, Sora and Kairi had no choice but to stay where they were until the sand cleared.

"Ugh, Aero!" yelled Sora, as he refused to wait any longer.

From the tip of his Keyblade came a pillar of whip-like wind, twisting and turning in a helical fashion as the Aero spell drilled through and cleared the air from sand.

"Nice," Kairi complimented. "I kinda wish I can master that one day."

"I'm sure it'll take you no time at all," said Sora, trying to sound as genuine as possible, though he figured Kairi would definitely deny the fact. "I think your magic can pass mine soon enough."

"Huh!" Kairi said with a small laugh, crossing her arms. "I bet you'd like to see that."

"I sure do," said Sora, crossing his arms in return. "Now c'mon, we better get to Agrabah fast and see what's happening."

"Don't you think we should deal with the Heart—" Kairi started to say. "Hmm, actually we haven't seen any Heartless so far… so maybe."

"Heartless or no Heartless," Sora answered, keeping his Keyblade slung over his shoulder. "We're gonna go check out Agrabah for some answers, so might as well see if those guys on horses are any problems."

Kairi nodded. Without wasting another moment dwelling on scattered thoughts, the two of them broke into a run as they made their way towards Agrabah, which seemed to be less than a mile away. The trail of horse tracks could still be seen in the smooth sand dunes of the desert, though occasional gusts of wind quickly eliminated the prints. Now positive that the riders were heading into Agrabah, Sora beckoned Kairi to speed up alongside him.

After about ten minutes of steady running, Sora dismally noticed that the riders had already entered the city, as the remaining trail of horse tracks lined directly to the main gates of Agrabah. As for Kairi and him, Agrabah was farther away than they had thought. Sighing in slight annoyance, Sora picked up a little more speed and crossed the dunes along with Kairi. The closer they got, various sounds from the city could be heard.

Battle sounds.

As soon as they reached the colossal entrance to the city, Sora almost felt his jaw drop when he witnessed an alleyway full of broken pottery, shattered vending stands, and scorched rooftops. Quickly making their way inside with their Keyblades gripped tightly in hand, Sora and Kairi rushed inside and scanned their environment for foes.

They did not have to wait to fight either. As a matter of fact, the two of them did not even need to fight. Soon enough, the raiders that intruded the city fled one by one out from where they came. This time, one of them, a middle-aged, but masked man, gave Sora and Kairi a quick glance before making an exit. It seemed that Agrabah's guards have done their work and succeeded in driving off the invaders. It was still quite peculiar, as neither Sora nor Kairi knew what the current situation was.

"Augh!" a gruff voice sounded close to where Sora and Kairi were standing. "Not again!"

"Heartless," Sora muttered as he stamped his foot down into the dusty dirt to maintain his fighting stance.

"There they come," Kairi whispered.

Some remaining clay pots broke open, as they became Pot Spider Heartless. The corners of darker alleyways began to spew out Bandit and Luna Bandit Heartless. As if their circumstances were not bleak enough, Sora let out a quiet, irritated groan as he caught sight of several Fat Bandit Heartless spawning amidst the panicking city guards.

"Sora…" Kairi gasped, pulling on one of Sora's sleeves. "What are those things doing…?"

She pointed as a small cluster of Pot Spider Heartless, each following the other, close enough that they seemed to be connected. Sora shot a bolt of lightning at a group of incoming Bandits, easily slaying them before looking over to Kairi. Letting out a somewhat more audible groan of annoyance this time, Sora hurriedly launched an attack against the group of Pot Spiders.

Before the blade of the Oblivion could strike, the chain of Pot Spiders slid away, just a hair out of reach. Kairi let out a quick yelp as the leading clay pot exploded, revealing a typical head of a Heartless. The last pot exploded as well, revealing a set of serrated, horned antennae. There were seven pots connecting between the head and the tail, creating a menacing Pot Centipede Heartless.

"Kairi," said Sora, now calm and collected. "I'm going to handle this one. Can you take care of the other ones?"

Shaking off the baffled feeling she was locked with, Kairi nodded and took on the task without wasting time.

"Oh, yeah," Sora added, dodging a potent electric zap from the Pot Centipede's tail. "Try not to use anything fire related against those fat ones. Trust me, I think burning them will help them more than you."

Avoiding a ball of fire shot out from the mouth of a Fat Body Heartless, Kairi gave Sora a smirk as she emulated his actions.

"I see what you mean," Kairi responded. "Watch this—"

From the tip of Kairi's Oathkeeper came a clear sphere of water. Kairi shut her eyes, concentrating on the magical essence that she was carefully working with. Before some of the nearby Fat Bodies could get any closer, Kairi unleashed a torrent of water magic, eradicating the Fat Bodies along with smaller Bandits who were caught amidst the assault. It was a completely efficient and flawless attack. Sora could not help but widen his eyes in amazement.

"Wow, Kairi—" said Sora, halting his comment while he evaded a physical slash from the Pot Centipede. "That was… I mean, really, really amazing—"

"Why, thank you Sora," Kairi answered blissfully, nonchalantly charging up a ball of fire this time. Before long, she launched a wave of fire magic this time at a bunched group of Bandit Heartless, destroying all of them without nary a mess. "It's not like I just sleep and eat when we're not doing anything!"

Sora parried another slash from the Pot Centipede before countering with his own chain of hacks and slices. By cleanly cutting off the electrically charged antennae at the Heartless' rear, Sora easily disabled the Pot Centipede's ability to use magic-based attacks, along with the Heartless' ability to sense and judge. It was a lucky break for Sora, as the powerful Heartless would have posed to be a decent problem had the Keyblade master not been able to land a clean attack. Taking advantage of the dazed and nearly inoperative Pot Centipede, Sora launched another barrage of vertical and horizontal slashes all over the Heartless' body. The crippled Heartless was now no issue for Sora, as his continued onslaught of attacks easily triumphed over the beast.

"Hah, well," Sora said to Kairi, as he watched his foe dissipate into the dusty air. "Told ya, you have knack for magic."

"Psh, this is nothing compared to yours," Kairi replied with slightly pouted lips. "I have a long way to go."

Laughing together with a new sense of accomplishment, Sora and Kairi made quick work of the remaining Heartless without breaking too much sweat. But because now they know there were Heartless in Agrabah, they know that they musy go through the same keyhole-search routine.

The instant the last Heartless was defeated, dark portals opened without warning all around Sora and Kairi, completely catching the two off guard. Swarms of Heartless poured out, but they were not Heartless that were usually found in Agrabah. The Heartless that appeared were generic Heartless, such as Shadows, along with some specialized ones like Rhapsodies.

Before the Heartless could take advantage of Sora and Kairi's shocked states, Sora quickly unleashed a Magnet spell, with Kairi immediately following the action with her own. Sora then fired off a wave of lightning towards the tightly clustered Heartless, destroying a respectable total. However, the combination was not nearly enough, as the defeated Heartless were rapidly substituted by more Heartless that spewed from the dark portals. They were actually being overrun, much to Sora's own surprise.

"Alright, I'm coming guys!" a voice echoed from above.

Sora and Kairi looked over their respective shoulders and into the air, searching for the origin of the voice. It was extremely familiar for Sora, though he could not think clearly at the moment with all the chaos around him.

The two teens continued to slash away at the Heartless that got too close, as both of them continued to hold their ground. When the situation began to appear more and more alarming, a timely blast of magic across the group of Heartless surrounding Sora and Kairi fizzled away their foes.

"And some for you, and you, and you, and you, and you," a different voice called out, with each "and you" matching a blast of radiant, magical energy. It was yet another very familiar voice for Sora.

"Uh," Sora sputtered.

"Genie, the ones over there, near the bazaar!" a man in a white, royal robe yelled out.

"Sora?" Kairi asked in a confused tone. "Is that guy riding on a carpet?"

"…Y-yeah," Sora stammered. "That's, uh, Aladdin, a friend of mine from here."

Aladdin and Genie soon came into view, blazing across the sky on their way to Sora and Kairi's aid. Sora briefly dropped his guard as he raised an eyebrow at Aladdin's figure.

_What's with that outfit?_ Sora wondered.


	66. The Story So Far

**Chapter LXVI:**

The incessant waves of Heartless were indeed the army of Heartless that Maleficent dispatched to hinder Sora and Kairi's efforts to seal the keyholes. However, with Aladdin and Genie's aid, the Heartless were nothing more than a temporary nuisance. Perhaps Maleficent was successful in halting Sora and Kairi for a whole hour, if not less.

"Phew, now that's what I call a good wrap-up to a hectic day!" Genie exclaimed.

"You got that right…" said Aladdin, hopping smoothly off the Flying Carpet. "How are you doing, Sora? What brings you back he—"

Abu, Aladdin's lifelong comrade and monkey friend, tapped Aladdin's shoulder and pointed over to the last dissipating Heartless lay strewn across the streets of Agrabah.

"Right, scratch that last question," Aladdin corrected himself.

"Well, I said I'd be back, right? Good to see you again, Aladdin," said Sora. He smirked and crossed his arms. "I'm doing pretty well, but, uh, what's with the fancy outfit?"

"Oh, this?" Aladdin responded, pulling on his majestic white robe. He leaned over and whispered to Sora. "Jasmine and I were at our wedding ceremony not too long ago."

"W-w-what?" Sora stammered. "You're getting married? _Already?_ So soon?"

"Yeah! Why not?" Aladdin laughed at Sora's astonished expression. "It sort of got ruined when the forty thieves rampaged through the city, but we can deal with that later. Anyway, who's the lady friend?"

"Oh, this is Kairi," Sora answered. What does he need to say? Instead of over-thinking, Sora stuck with the standard process of introductions. "Kairi, Aladdin, Aladdin, Kairi. Kairi, Genie, Genie, Kairi."

"Hey, everyone," Kairi kindly greeted.

"Hey, to you, too," Aladdin responded. "Are you in any way a specia—"

"_Ah!_" Genie exclaimed again. "Kairi? _Kairi!_ Can't remember how many times Sora talked about you! Super pretty, you are. Just like Sora said you are! Fitting… fitting for a princess!"

"What! Since when did I say that?" Sora sputtered, his face steadily reddening.

"You don't think I'm pretty?" Kairi joked.

"No! W-what?" Sora continued to babble. "Yes! I mean, no, I mean—"

"Aw, look at you! All blushing and denyin' everything," Genie crooned, squeezing Sora's cheeks playfully with his big, blue hands. "A pair of super pretty and super cute young'uns here—Hey! Gotta go back and tell us about the adventuring, Sora! Right, Al?"

"That's right," said Aladdin. "Tracking those forty thieves shouldn't be a problem. We have time if you don't mind sharing some stories… but, hmm, where's Donald and Goofy?"

"They're going through the same thing me and Kairi are," Sora explained. "Except they're hunting Heartless somewhere else."

"I wonder what's going on? Things sure turned out well last time, but what's causing the change this time?" Aladdin wondered. "Anyway, let's head over to my place and you two can maybe clear things up a bit for us."

* * *

Aladdin's abode was just as Sora remembered it: tiny, sloppy, dim, dull, but wonderfully cozy. For a man who was on the verge of being married to a princess and living the glamorous life in a royal palace, modesty and humbleness knew no bounds. Aladdin seemed to be always at ease, an image that reminded Kairi of a not-too-long-ago Sora. The notion was somewhat heartrending, so Kairi pushed the thoughts away before she dove deeper.

"Kinda small for someone marrying a princess, don't you think?" Aladdin said with a laugh, bringing the words right out of Sora's mouth.

"Say the word, Al!" Genie called out, appearing randomly and unexpectedly out in the open, right outside Aladdin's window. "Say it and I'll stretch your little room out!"

"No, thanks, Genie, I'm fine with everything here," answered Aladdin before turning his attention back to his guests. "Hey, sit for bit, Sora and Kairi."

Sora and Kairi sat on a small couch covered by various rags and torn cloth. It was actually a bit too small, as both Keyblade-wielders had their shoulders visibly glued to each other's. Sora and Kairi glanced at each other briefly, but did nothing more than give each other a quick, awkward, and toothy grin before facing Aladdin again.

"So," Aladdin started. "One simple question: What's been happening since you left Agrabah last time, Sora? Feel free to take as much time as you want."

"Oh, boy," Sora and Kairi responded simultaneously.

"Let's see, after the keyhole to this world was sealed, I think Donald, Goofy, and I went around to seal the keyholes of a few other worlds much like this one," Sora began.

He had to be careful not to get too detailed with information about other worlds. In Donald and Goofy's words, that would be "meddling." Instead, Sora figured he would try to explain just the more important events to Aladdin. "Everything was going pretty well, besides a couple of bumps in the road here and there. At the end, we managed to defeat the Heartless and Nobodies by beating Organization XIII. It was a tough fight, but we managed to pull through. Kairi was there, too, along with Riku. Everyone pitched in and it worked out great.

"Afterwards, we all went back to our home in Destiny Islands—I dunno if I mentioned this to you before—but anyway, Destiny Islands is our home. Donald and Goofy left with King Mickey back to where they came from. Afterwards, me and Riku gave up our Keyblades, figuring we didn't need them anymore, since light and darkness were balanced again. Everything was fine for a while—"

"Not for a _while,_" Kairi corrected.

"Oh, yeah, that's right," admitted Sora. "It had only been, like, a couple of weeks before I started getting these terrible dreams about the powers of darkness returning. And right after that, Heartless began appearing all over Destiny Islands. Without our Keyblades, we couldn't fight. I couldn't do anything. Riku couldn't do anything. Kairi couldn't do anything, either.

"Luckily for us, King Mickey came back just in time. I think he had the same dream I did, or something like that. We all escaped from Destiny Islands, even though we didn't want to, and went to pick up our Keyblades in this weird museum on this island. Over there, we found out that Maleficent, this evil sorceress who was responsible for a lot of trouble before, was the reason why the Heartless came back. We were able to escape without too much problems, though, which was the good thing. During that time, though, the museum guy—a friend of King Mickey's, I think—got turned into a Heartless, named Grymox, and a Nobody, named Xymgrel, by Maleficent. Other than that, we made our escape and went back to King Mickey's castle to meet up with Donald and Goofy. From there we separated: the king, Donald, and Goofy went their way and me, Riku, and Kairi went back to save Destiny Islands.

"But not long after we got back to Destiny Islands, Kairi and I lost track of Riku. It was pretty bad, 'cause then we weren't even able to clear the darkness from our home. The Heartless weren't the only ones that came back, but so did the Nobodies! We learned a lot of what was going on from Sarlix, this Nobody that reminded me of the old Organization XIII members. Still, the two of us were captured by two giant Heartless that Maleficent calls Syx and Grymox and were brought to Maleficent's base, which turned out to be the museum where the Keyblades were kept before. Maleficent told us her plans there, about taking over Kingdom Hearts, but we knew that already, since she's been trying to do that for a really long time already. We just have to make sure she doesn't get to, that's all.

"So Kairi and I escaped when King Mickey, Donald, and Goofy got a lucky guess and picked us up when they found out we weren't on Destiny Islands. From there, we went over to Kairi's birthplace, Hollow Ba—I mean, the Radiant Garden. We met up with a bunch of my old friends, like Cloud, Yuffie, Cid, Merlin, and the others and we came up with the plan to travel from world to world, sealing up the _new_ keyholes, just like before.

"Before we could actually go and do it, Heartless, and even Nobodies, began to attack the Radiant Garden, right when we were coming up with the plan. We fought and fought and we fought some more, and of course we won at the end… as if some Heartless could stop us. There were good things and bad things that happened then. We realized that Maleficent was way stronger than before and was able to control the Heartless, as well as the Nobodies. At least the two troublemaking Nobodies, Sarlix and Xymgrel, chose to stop working for Maleficent during that time. So, after we beat them, we all separated again to carry out our plan.

"At the same time, Kairi got to learn some magic," Sora smiled proudly at Kairi, and the girl beamed back in return. "And then the two of us got back to Destiny Islands. We had a pretty rough time there. I mean, it was nice that we got to see that our friends we safe, but… some things were… just worse than awful. Riku's dad w-was… was d-de—t-_taken_ by the Heartless. And Kairi's dad was… h-he—"

"My own dad became a Heartless," Kairi solemnly finished for Sora. "Bet you can't imagine how that felt. But poor Riku…"

"Riku doesn't even know about this yet," Sora continued. "I can't imagine what I'd do if anything happened to my mom. But it turned out that Riku probably got back to the islands before we did. The keyhole there was already sealed when we found it. Since we had a job to do, Kairi and I couldn't stay any longer and had to travel to the next world. But y'know, our luck's been pretty rotten sometimes, and the loser Pete came back and stole our ship! We pretty much lost our only way of getting around.

"And as bad as our luck can be, we manage to get a bit lucky sometimes, too. The Nobodies, Sarlix and Xymgrel, that caused problems for Kairi and I before came back, but this time they just wanted to do research or something, I dunno. They wanted to find out more about how Heartless and Nobodies and Keyblades work, and stuff like that. The good thing was, they helped us get off Destiny Islands.

"Sarlix and Xymgrel warped the two of us to another world called Port Royal, but after searching and dealing with a ton of problems, we still weren't able to find the keyhole… _if_ there was an open keyhole. So instead of staying there longer, the two of us managed to meet up with King Mickey, Donald, and Goofy in Port Royal and made our way out. We plan on going back to Port Royal sometime, though, since there are some stuff goin' on there that I think we can help out with. But before that, Kairi and I were dropped off on another world, while King Mickey and the others went their way again.

"The good thing is, this time I got a keychain for my Keyblade that can be used to call King Mickey, Donald, and Goofy whenever Kairi and I needed a ride after we finished cleaning up a world. So anyway, Kairi and I landed on this tropical-looking world. And yeah, there were a ton of Heartless around this world, so we knew there had to be an open keyhole somewhere. We met some interesting people on this world—like a talking llama, but we don't need to get into those details—and it was actually not too bad. It didn't take us too long to fight off some Heartless and seal up the keyhole.

"After that, all of us, including King Mickey, Donald, and Goofy decided to go together to the next world, which was where a place called the Olympus Coliseum was built. But instead of just battling with Heartless and Nobodies, we ended up trying to save lives. It was pretty bad, and I shouldn't explain it all too much."

"That's okay, Sora," said Kairi. "Remember, we all have feelings."

"Yeah," Sora replied, nodding in agreement. "Back there, I think we all learned a little something. I think it's called hope. We realized that in order for us to get through our journey, we gotta have hope and know we can win. This was after we sealed up that world's keyhole. Everything there turned out fine at the end, which was a _big_ relief.

"And that's actually the last place we went before coming here," Sora concluded. "The big picture is just going from world to world, shutting up keyholes and beating up some Heartless, while trying to stop Maleficent once and for all. Sounds easy, but not quite, huh?"

"I wonder how Riku's doing?" Kairi wondered. "We're still trying to find him."

"Yeah, but I bet he's fine," said Sora. "I got separated from him so many times now that I _know_ he's fine."

"Man, that's a bit too much for me," said Aladdin. "You two have been through a lot already. Sora, has all your adventures been like this so far? Even last time?"

Sora thought back for a bit, as far back as nearly two years ago.

"Hmm, almost. I do think this one's a lot different than the last couple of times, though."

"I see," said Aladdin. He got up from his stool and stared out the window to where the royal palace stood. "I'll be married to the girl of my dreams soon. But in the meantime, I'm gonna do everything I can to help you both out!"

"And you can count me in, too!" Genie exclaimed, appearing in the room in a small puff of blue smoke. "It's an awful lotta fun traveling and seeing different places, huh, Sora and Kairi?"

"I agree with that," said Kairi. "Aside from Destiny Islands, I haven't really been anywhere else. I barely even remember… actually, I don't really remember my own birthplace."

"It _is_ fun," Sora replied. "But the thing is, we got a job to do right now, so it's kinda tough to sit and take tours or go sightseeing."

"That's true," said Aladdin.

"We'll be glad to have you help us beat the Heartless out of this world again," said Sora with a smile. "And I think we can help you find out who those thieves were and what they wanted."

"Oh, I already figured those things out," said Aladdin. He went to a corner and dug out what appeared to be a relic of some sort. "They wanted this, this staff that contains the Oracle."

"Oracle?" Sora and Kairi asked together.

"Right. It can grant an answer to one question for a single person, and _only_ one question," Aladdin explained. "I chose to ask where my father was."

"Your father?" Sora repeated.

"What did it say?" Kairi inquired.

There was a brief moment of silence before Aladdin responded, as if he was trying to carefully process his own thoughts.

"Follow the trail of the Forty Thieves," he finally responded.


	67. Welcome to the Forty Thieves

**Chapter LXVII:**

_ ["What were they after? The gifts?"_  
"_Not all the gifts," Aladdin said to Jasmine. He held up a staff with a large, emerald jewel lodged in the center. "This is what the King of Thieves wanted."_  
"_With all the other great stuff, why go for this thing?" the parrot, Iago, asked loudly._  
"_Your question is mine to answer!" a divine voice echoed from within the staff.  
The jewel from staff began to shine with incomparable brightness, forcing everyone from the room to look away. Aladdin released the staff in the process, but the staff merely levitated towards the center of the room and held its place vertically. It then projected an image of a glowing, yet transparent celestial woman._  
"_The King of Thieves sought my sight to find the ultimate treasure," this mystic being responded._  
"_Did someone say treasure?" Iago eagerly asked, intrigued yet again._  
"_Genie?" Aladdin whispered, searching for an explanation._  
"_Oh, looks like an oracle."_  
"_I see all that has been," said the Oracle. "And all that will be."  
_"_Uh oh, uh oh, definitely an oracle, tells the future, uh oh." Genie started to stammer in a funky accent. "Girlfriend, where were you registered?"_  
"_Okay, you know all, so tell all," said Iago. "Where is the treasure? You know… the ultimate one?"_  
"_I am bound by the rule of one," answered the Oracle, holding up her index finger in display. "One question, one answer."_  
"_I only want one answer!" Iago exclaimed. "Where is… the ultimate… treasure?"_  
"_You have already asked your one question," the Oracle countered, raising her tone of voice._  
"_You mean before?" Iago asked, flying up to the face of the Oracle. "Oh, that wasn't a question! That was… uh, thinking out loud!"  
Genie stretched up towards the obnoxious parrot and yanked him back.  
_"_Very loud," said Genie, before letting Iago go again.  
_"_Aladdin, we could learn anything," Jasmine started. "About our lives, our future!"_  
"_You have but to ask," said the Oracle._  
"_I know what my future is. My future is you. But my past—it's a blank," Aladdin replied, holding Jasmine's hands while he explained. "My mother died when I was just a kid. And I never even knew my father. I had no idea where I've come from."_  
"_Your question is your choice," the Oracle added. "But, remember the rule of one. Choose carefully."_  
"_Oh, sure, she warns him about the one question thing," Iago muttered quietly on the side. In response, the Magic Carpet sent him flying with a swift kick in the rear.  
_"_I don't think you can help me," Aladdin quickly decided. "My past isn't just one question, it's a million questions."  
_"_Ah, but mere questions about your past can be answered by your father…"  
_"_My father?" Aladdin gasped when he heard those words from the Oracle.  
Knowing what Aladdin was thinking of, the Oracle opened up a dimensional rift, showing the image of Aladdin's father as he was in the present time. Aladdin gazed on in utter amazement, as did the rest of the people in the room._  
"_My father is alive…?" Aladdin whispered to himself.  
Later on, after quite a bit of soul searching and with the support from Jasmine, Aladdin finally decided to proceed with asking the Oracle about his father. Originally, he refused to go through with the idea, believing that his father was not worth searching for._  
"_Have you chosen your question?" the Oracle inquired upon its summoning.  
_"_I have," Aladdin answered._  
"_Then ask."  
Aladdin paused for a moment, almost forgetting how to ask such a simple question._  
"_Where is my father?"_  
"_Follow the trail of the Forty Thieves," the Oracle answered, pointing down the horizon. "Your father is trapped within their world."  
_"_The Forty Thieves? Is he hurt?" Aladdin suddenly released a barrage of questions. "How long has he been there?"_  
"_I am sorry," the Oracle answered, fading away from sight. "But I can only answer… one question."  
Aladdin looked to the lands where the Oracle pointed, wondering how he should embrace his quest.]_

"So that's about it," said Aladdin. "A pretty wild morning and afternoon if you ask me."

"Yeah," said Sora, hanging onto the Magic Carpet as Aladdin, Abu, Iago, Kairi, and he zipped along the side of a mountain.

"Wait!" Aladdin whispered with urgency, stopping the Magic Carpet in its tracks. Slowly and quietly, the group landed and made their way behind some rocks. Just a few yards away stood the same marauders that Sora and Kairi saw just a few hours ago: the Forty Thieves.

The thieves were lined up along the shores of the sea. They simply stood there, as if looking beyond the horizon at the low moon. At least, that was what Sora and the party believed, until one of the thieves, the only masked one that Sora and Kairi made eye-contact with before, raised one hand in some sign of authority.

"Well, they got nowhere to go," said Aladdin. "We got them trapped."

"We? They are _forty_ thieves!" Iago exclaimed. "We are: you, a rug, a monkey, a spunky boy, a scrawny girl, and me. Wait, don't count me—"

"Hey!" Sora and Kairi protested.

"Shh, they're just… standing there," Aladdin noted.

Before long, the apparent leader of the thieves stretched his hand forward towards a side of a far-off cliff in the middle of the sea.

"Open Sesame!" he called out with power and conviction.

Instantly, the waves of the sea intensified and—as if some otherworldly force had answered with its might—blasted each other apart. The result was a path across the sea floor leading towards the cliff in the horizon. Sora and the rest of the group stared onward without any sense of believing what they had just seen. The Forty Thieves rode on, though, as their horses galloped through the sea as if it were a daily routine for them.

"Let's move!" Aladdin called out, realizing that in order to succeed in this pursuit, they had to follow the thieves wherever they may ride. He called everyone back on top of the Magic Carpet. "Hang on!"

Maintaining a good distance behind the thieves, just so they could sneak unnoticeably into wherever the bandits were heading, the group successfully navigated through the waves that began crashing down after a short period of time. Nearly getting smothered by the dangerous waters, the group barely made it in through the stone gates of the cliff. Everything seemed to be timed to an exact second; the group entered a split moment before all the rocks sealed the entrance, shortly before the sea closed up again and everything returned to normal.

Sora and Kairi were the first to step off the Magic Carpet and get a decent look around their immediate vicinity. This could be the hideout of the Forty Thieves. Sora decided that it had to be just from noting the random jewelry and ornamented goods that occasionally decorated the barren, rocky walls.

"This must be where the thieves go when they're not stealing from people," Sora whispered to Kairi. "Just look at all this stuff."

"Yeah, but I wonder if they got anything from Agrabah?" Kairi wondered.

"Look over here, you two," Aladdin called.

Weaving through a short maze of rocks and debris, the group stopped behind a few large boulders and looked only a few feet ahead at what seemed to be the meeting area for the thieves. In the center stood a large, bulky man with some of the most threatening features Sora had ever seen in his life. The man must have stood more than six feet in height, had biceps that were probably thicker than Sora's head, and in addition, was equipped with three golden claws on his right fist.

In the center of the room, just in front of the brawny man, was the same man that split the sea with his command earlier on, the same man who Sora and Kairi managed to make eye-contact with in Agrabah. This time, the man was unmasked. If Sora recalled correctly… he resembled a certain someone. Disregarding any further thoughts, Sora refocused his attention on the thieves' meeting.

"…But these are the king's plans," the muscular man was saying. He pointed to an empty wooden table that was in front of him. "This is what we have to show for our trouble in Agrabah. Nothing!"

In anger, the man smashed the table into a frenzy of splinters and shattered planks, drawing some murmurs from the crowd of thieves.

"Sa'luk seems really… ticked," a thief stated amusedly.

"Your time draws to a close, Cassim," Sa'luk continued, approaching the one who appeared to be—

"Cassim?" Aladdin whispered, mostly to himself. "My father?"

"If you're talking about spilling my blood," Cassim answered with confidence and authority. "Well, I just don't see that happening."

"Then let me open your eyes!" Sa'luk bellowed as he wound up for a deadly strike.

Before the clawed fist could land, Aladdin leapt from his hiding spot and tackled Sa'luk from behind. At the same time, both Sora and Kairi stepped out with their Keyblades drawn, but they were quickly faced with spears and swords from the nearby thieves.

"Run! I got him!" Aladdin yelled out to his father.

However, the somewhat humored, though bewildered Cassim did not move a muscle, but looked onward at the sight of Aladdin struggling to maintain hold of the muscle-bound Sa'luk.

"I'm Aladdin! You're my father!"

Finally, those words entered the ears of Cassim like a direct uppercut to the face. Almost falling backwards, Cassim retained his footing and stared at a sheathed dagger that Aladdin dropped at his feet.

"I don't know about your father, boy," a furious Sa'luk snarled as he yanked Aladdin off the ground. "But I'll send you to meet your _other_ ancestors!"

"Let him go," ordered Cassim. His eyes never left the sheathed dagger that he picked up from the ground. "The boy… is my son."

Sora and Kairi glanced each other in curiosity, but both of them felt a brief moment of relief.

"Ooh," a thief that had a dagger to Sora's throat gasped. "So the boy _is_ the son of the King of Thieves!"

"That guy's the King of Thieves?" Kairi whispered to Sora.

"Somehow I always had a feeling that he was," Sora whispered back.

"_You_ are the King of Thieves?" said Aladdin, getting off the ground after Sa'luk tossed him aside.

"Like it or not, boy, we are blood!" said Cassim.

The King of Thieves slowly walked towards Aladdin for the first time since meeting. Their eyes never left the other's, somehow in their minds and hearts, they knew who the other was, even if they had never met before prior to the event.

"Look at you," Cassim continued, putting his hands on Aladdin's shoulders. "I thought I'd never see you again. Has it been so long?"

"Blood or mud," Sa'luk interrupted. "The boy is an intruder and we have _rules_ for intruders."

Again, thieves in the surroundings muttered words of agreement, some even clapping and stamping their feet in support.

"He has found our secret lair!" Sa'luk shouted for the whole clan to hear. He pointed to Aladdin and then to Sora and Kairi, along with Abu and Iago. "He has seen too much. He must die. They must all die!"

Again, Sora and Kairi both forced themselves free with their Keyblades and shoved some surrounding thieves away from them. However, whatever mild actions they did were not enough to force the thieves to retreat. Iago and Abu were simultaneously captured.

"Die?" Iago shrieked in panic. "He's your son! I'm his _friend!_ Cast the vote for mercy here!"

"Yes, Cassim. Mercy would be so like you," Sa'luk said in a mocking tone. "Soft… and weak!"

After a period of inactivity, with the only sounds coming from the quiet murmurs of some thieves, there was no decision. Aladdin, Sora, and Kairi all had their eyes on Cassim, the King of Thieves, and awaited his decision.

"Kill him," said Cassim, shrugging at the words.

Aladdin, Sora, and Kairi all felt their jaws drop at the choice of words as the thieves made their move upon the trespassers. Iago and Abu simply decided to cover their eyes in case the worst did happen. Sora and Kairi were both ready to defend themselves, however, but it seemed unnecessary since Cassim did not appear to be finished yet.

"Or…" the King of Thieves added, his voice instantaneously stopping all the thieves' actions. "The boy could… yes! The boy could… no…"

"W-what? What? The b-boy could what?" a thief sputtered in anticipation.

"Nothing," said Cassim. "Probably a bad idea."

"Let's hear it!" some other thieves shouted enthusiastically.

"Well, it seems to me that… oh, never mind…"

"What?" even Sa'luk grimaced in impatience and curiosity.

Pacing around for a moment, building up the already dreadful suspense, Cassim acted as if he was pondering something of paramount importance. Even Sora felt that the long silence was completely pointless. Kairi, on the other hand, simply tapped her feet in waiting.

"The boy," he finally said after what felt like endless hours. "Could face… the _challenge._"

The words were instantly met with "oohs" and "aahs" from the crowd of thieves. Thus, it seemed like the King of Thieves' decision was a splendid one. The wise choice gave Sora and the group a chance to avoid imminent violence and chaotic brawls and gave the thieves some entertainment of sorts.

"That's that," Cassim concluded with authority, strolling over to Aladdin's side once again. "My son—and his friends—shall face the challenge."

"And _I_," Sa'luk added, displaying his deadly metal claws. "Shall be the one to test him."

The brutish man shoved Aladdin over to Sora and Kairi, and the two teens held up their friend before he could lose his footing. Sa'luk chuckled sinisterly as he departed, leaving Sora, Kairi, and Aladdin idly standing before the challenge would ensue.

* * *

Some time later, in the midst of the dark, rain-filled night, Sora, Kairi, and Aladdin stood alongside each other as they waited to find out what their challenges were. Lightning streaked across the night sky, adding an even more ominous effect to the already appalling situation.

"What's going on, _Dad?_" Aladdin asked in an irritated tone, disappointed in the fact that his own father was putting him through such conditions.

"Oh, the challenge is simple enough. Only one man survives," Cassim answered casually. He handed Aladdin the family heirloom, the ornamented dagger. "You're my son, you're the advent man. Knock him dead, kid. Seriously."

Sa'luk loomed in the shadows, only highlighted by the light from the occasional bolts of lightning that fired across the rainy skies. For some reason, now the brute of a man appeared even more threatening and baleful than ever.

"What about Sora and Kairi?" Aladdin asked his father. "What are they going to do?"

"Oh, these two," Cassim laughed. He looked over his shoulder towards two more thieves. "Your friends will be going against these two men. Separately, of course. And yes, even the girl…"

Standing far apart from one another, Sora, Kairi, and Aladdin each faced their opponents in three separate one-on-one duels. Aladdin probably had the worst of luck, since his opponent was the merciless Sa'luk. Sora had a tall, muscular man covered with scars. This was most likely an experienced fighter that had been through many brawls. Sora figured he should keep a wary eye out at least. As for Kairi, her opponent was a thin, flexible man that donned a turban. Whether or not he was strong or weak, Kairi could not tell. Common sense told her to be cautious, nonetheless.

As soon as one of the thieves smashed his scimitar's blade into the ground, the battle was to commence. In the split second that followed, both Sora and his opponent clashed straight into each other, sending sparks flying between their blades. Kairi initiated the attack on her opponent first while keeping an eye out for suspicious actions. And finally, Aladdin planted his feet firmly and braced himself as Sa'luk lunged forwards with his golden claws fully extended…


	68. Falling Out

**Chapter LXVIII:**

"We have to… _kill_ these guys?" Sora muttered through his clenched teeth, as he pushed his opponent away from him.

"If you want the other to be the one man surviving," Cassim answered. "Then yes, you do."

"Just a reminder," Kairi interrupted, picking a moment to throw in a joke while she blocked a whip-like slash from her foe. "…I'm not a man."

"If ya want, I can play around with ya before cuttin' ya up," Kairi's bony opponent sneered abominably.

It was a very distracting fight for Sora. Every few seconds, he would try to glance over at Kairi, constantly needing to know if she was doing well. However, the cost was that he would nearly always come close to being skewered alive by his barbaric opponent. The same applied for Kairi, who was probably taking the routine to a level far beyond Sora's. At some points, Kairi completely forgot where she was and attempted to head over to Sora's side. And of course, her enemy would either intercept her accidental "escape" or would launch an attack on the inattentive Kairi. Time and time again, the distractions piled on, inching both Sora and Kairi closer to exhaustion and failure.

Aladdin, on the other hand, almost seemed as if he was unwilling to fight. Most of the time, he simply tried to evade Sa'luk's entire onslaught of unrelenting blows. If he could not directly avoid an assault, he would use the dagger his father provided him to block the death strike. At one point, it seemed as if Sa'luk had claimed victory when he knocked Aladdin several feet backwards and straight into the rocky side of the cliff, stunning the young man for a short duration. However, instead of dealing the final blow, Sa'luk toyed with Aladdin and beckoned him to retaliate.

But for Sora and Kairi, their separate fights in the wet, cold, and dimly lit arena were much more horrendous. It was all due to their compassionate hearts that they could not take the life of another living being in a gruesome sporting event for the thieves. Thus, the inevitable occurred when Kairi finally dropped her guard in whole and was knocked clear off the high cliff that they were all fighting on. A second later, Aladdin was also knocked over. Sora, who managed to hold his ground the entire time, completely abandoned his duel and sprinted towards the edge of the cliff. He watched in terror as both Kairi and Aladdin had their blades jammed in the rocky crags, hanging onto them for the sake of their lives. Sora had no time to plan out his actions. Instead, he slid down the side of the cliff to where Kairi and Aladdin were temporarily stuck in. Little did Sora know, Sa'luk made his way down the cliff as well, apparently still hungry to finish off Aladdin.

"Out of my way, you brats!" Sa'luk bellowed as he used his free arm to wallop both Sora and Kairi, who were utterly defenseless, off the side of the cliff and into the raging waves of the sea below.

"Sora! Kairi!" Aladdin yelled in vain, knowing he could do nothing in time to aid his falling friends.

For the moments in freefall, time could not move any slower. The entire time before they struck the surface of the sea below, Sora had his hand fully extended in front of him, trying his best to hold onto Kairi. Their fingers could only occasionally touch, but neither of them had the extra inch necessary to fully grasp onto each other. All the stretching was in vain, with their eventual crash into the water imminently waiting.

Knowing that he could not divert his attention to his lost comrades, Aladdin agonizingly took his eyes away from the two messy ripples in the sea. Had he idly stared on for a few more seconds, Sa'luk would have claimed his supposedly predetermined victory as the menacing fighter wound up for his finishing blow. However, the much younger and agile Aladdin leapt vertically to grasp onto the dagger that he had lodged into the side of the cliff.

Lightning continuously blasted across the stormy sky; the subsequent moments were the most crucial ones. Perhaps Sa'luk underestimated Aladdin's stamina or perhaps Aladdin was simply fortunate for his timely evasion. But with all the power invested in his latest attack, the failed assault was Sa'luk's undoing. By missing, the momentum threw the brawny thief off balance, allowing Aladdin to freely counter. Using the wedged dagger as a pivot, Aladdin swung forward and kicked Sa'luk off the edge of the cliff.

Still kind-hearted even in such a dreadful period of time, Aladdin reached out with one hand to try and save the falling Sa'luk. But the damage had already been done. Sa'luk bellowed in disbelief and anger as he plummeted down the cliff and into the sea much like Sora and Kairi did. All Aladdin could do was watch as he hung onto his life-saving dagger. Above him, the sounds of cheers could be heard from the remaining, thirty-nine observant thieves. Aladdin hesitantly made his way back to the original arena, to the core of the watchful thieves.

As he expected, the thieves roughly treated him upon his return. Pulled, dragged, and yanked in different directions, Aladdin ended up staring at his father, who authoritatively stood mightily in front of him.

"You killed Sa'luk. The code of the Forty Thieves is very clear on this point," Cassim finally said. He smirked in a humorous manner at his victorious son. "…You're in!"

* * *

The unexpected arrival of Sa'luk prompted Sora and Kairi to swim as fast as they could towards the shoreline before the barbaric thief could notice their presence. Still gripping tightly onto each other when they successful made it onto dry land, the exhausted warriors could do very little, other than providing some warmth for each other. Luckily for them, the stormy weather was on the decline, with much less rain and brutal winds battling against them.

"Are you okay, Kairi?" Sora asked automatically when he regained his breath.

"Yeah… I'm… okay," Kairi answered in between breaths. "Sorry you had to… ditch your fight."

"I'm not worried about that at all," said Sora. "Let's take a break before finding our way back."

"I think we'll be better off just heading back to Agrabah or something," Kairi suggested. "Or at least go and find the keyhole…"

"Yeah, you're right," Sora agreed, almost forgetting about their primary task. "I'm sure Aladdin will be fine without us for now. Let's head back to Agrabah then. Maybe Genie or Jasmine can help us out."

"I don't think I've met Jasmine yet," said Kairi, getting to her feet.

"She's a princess, kinda like you in a way?" Sora replied, also getting to his feet. "You know, a princess of heart and all that."

The words flowed through Kairi's mind and lingered for a bit. That was exactly the case, her role in this tale of light and dark. She was a princess of heart and he was the chosen warrior of light.

"I see," Kairi responded solemnly.

"Huh?" Sora questioned as he went ahead to scout the surroundings.

"No, it's nothing," Kairi quickly added, changing her tone. She coughed a bit from the salty seawater and tried her best to dry off her sodden hair. She thought about lighting a Fire spell near her hair for a moment, but promptly gave up on the ridiculous idea.

"I think we're still around the thieves' hideout," Sora said after further examining the environment. "We can take a break first if you want, and then make our way around this dumb mountain."

"That would be wonderful," Kairi gasped before flopping back onto the sandy, but damp shoreline.

Sora ambled over to Kairi's side, sat down next to her, and heaved a heavy sigh.

"You know you can just tell me if you're tired!" Sora laughed. "We're not totally unstoppable."

"I bet we can be if we want to," Kairi answered. She turned and placed her back on Sora's arm. "Good night, Sora."

"Uh," Sora mumbled when Kairi inched herself closer to him. "Yeah. Night, Kairi."

Cleverly, Sora made use of some chunks of debris scattered around the shores as fuel for a warming fire. It was the least he could do to make the frigid night tolerable. Kairi was far more exhausted than he imagined; she was sound asleep before Sora could finish lighting everything. As soon as he was finished, though, Sora felt his own fatigue weighing. Perhaps just as quickly as Kairi did, his eyelids collapsed and he drifted into his well-deserved slumber.

* * *

A thin layer of morning mist tingled Sora with its light chill. When his eyes opened up, he found himself staring into the blurry sun that radiated through the clouds, momentarily blinding him. With a quiet groan of complaint, he rolled over and tasted the dry sand. Spitting the bothersome grains out, Sora wondered how he ended up on his back in the first place. Suddenly sitting up and aware of his surroundings, the first thing Sora did was search for Kairi. Little did he know, the girl was simply standing behind him. Caught by surprise, Sora fell on his back once again.

"Whoa," he gasped. "A little early for surprises…"

"Still a lazy bum," Kairi said with a giggle. She pointed at the sun, which was nearing its peak height in the sky. "By the way, it's almost noon."

"What?" Sora gasped again.

The Keyblade master quickly stood up and looked around him. The mountains and the seas appeared completely different under the sun, the light mist, and the bluish-gray sky, in comparison to the dark, stormy atmosphere from the night before.

"Anyway," Kairi continued, giggling again at Sora's clueless state. "I got up way earlier than you did, so I decided to look around, as well."

"Did you find anything?" Sora asked.

"You bet," Kairi answered excitedly, scampering off and beckoning Sora to follow her.

Kairi led Sora through paths of jagged rocks and slippery algae. The impressive obstacle course left Sora wholly amazed at how Kairi acrobatically navigated her way around. Eventually, he noticed that they were steadily climbing higher and higher up the mountain, to a point where he noticed a chain of mountains leading far towards the deserts. Kairi basically found a potential way back to Agrabah. However, the girl was far from done. Soon, the two of them reached a flat patch of land where small clusters of horses and camels were kept in captivity. These were most likely the means of transportation for the Forty Thieves. At least, that was what Sora guessed.

"So what do you think?" Kairi whispered, being careful as to not scare the idle animals.

"Wait, you plan on taking some?" Sora asked.

"Of course," Kairi exclaimed in a hushed voice. "I hope you're not expecting me to walk all the way back to Agrabah."

"But—"

"But what?"

"I can't ride horses!" Sora protested. "…Or camels!"

"Oh," Kairi replied, stifling a laugh. "The mighty Sora doesn't know how to ride a horse."

"And you do?" Sora wondered out loud.

"It's what I've learned while you were gone, dear," Kairi declared, happily teasing Sora in the process. "C'mon, it'll be fun!"

"Wait, hold on," Sora paused, pulling Kairi back. He pointed to two targets further away.

The figures were Aladdin and Cassim, both heading towards the stable that held the horses and camels. Iago, Abu, and the Magic Carpet also followed closely behind. It appeared as if everyone was on good terms, although Aladdin did seem to have worried strains on his face. After what sounded like a debate as to whether they should ride horses or hop onto the Magic Carpet, Cassim appeared to have won the argument and the father-son duo each took hold of a couple of horses.

Without wasting much time, both Aladdin and Cassim sped off down the stretch of mountain passes that Sora took note of earlier. After the two men shrank into the distance, Sora and Kairi snuck out of their hiding place and made their way towards the stable. They still had to remain relatively noiseless, though, since spooking the animals would certainly attract unwanted attention.

"You think they're going to Agrabah?" Kairi asked.

"I would guess so," Sora answered. He tried to grasp onto a random horse's rein, but was immediately countered by the horse's irritated neigh and attempt to bite.

"Hey, you gotta be a little more gentle, Sora!" Kairi instructed.

Before Sora could complain about the fact that he was almost nipped by the horse, Kairi demonstrated her knowledge by slowly approaching a horse of her choice with relative ease. Subsequently, the horse only kept a watchful eye on its unexpected visitor. Once Kairi got close enough without upsetting the horse, she gently held out her hand to the horse. When the horse continued to watch without contesting, Kairi tenderly patted and stroked the side of the horse's face, much to Sora's incredulity.

"W-wait—how—"

"Now you try," Kairi said with a giggle. "Just be gentle!"

"Er," Sora mumbled as he turned to face the same horse that tried to bite him before. "Here goes…"

Following Kairi's example, Sora slowly approached the horse, albeit a bit awkwardly. Nonetheless, at least he did not aggravate the horse like he did before. This time, Sora hesitantly smiled at the horse before slowly placing his hand on the horse's face, slowly guiding it to the horse's neck and mane. As soon as Sora realized that the horse did not react badly, the surge of relief welled up within him.

"Aw, you see?" Kairi cooed happily. "That wasn't so hard, right?"

"Well, yeah, now that it's happened and everything," Sora admitted. "But we're not riding the horses yet."

"Oh, have a little patience, Sora!" Kairi answered. She faced the horse that she was petting. "Now all you have to do is think like this horse."

"…What?" Sora questioned, raising an eyebrow to signify his disbelief. "Really? I have to think like a horse to ride a horse? Um, Kairi, I don't see all these horses riding each other—"

"Trust me on this!" Kairi said, reinforcing her instructions. "Psh, just watch."

Kairi kept her hands on the horse for the whole duration, but this time, she hooked her left foot on the stirrup on the horse's left side. Then, with ease and grace, Kairi smoothly stretched her right leg across the horse's back and placed her right foot in the remaining stirrup. Murmuring a few gentle words to the horse, Kairi managed to gain the trust of her temporary steed.

"How about it, Sora?" Kairi called out. "You should give it a try, too!"

"Oh, boy," Sora groaned in response. He unwillingly faced his horse again, but tried his best to put on a genuine expression of goodwill. "Think like a horse…?"

"It's just so the horse can trust you, like you're one of them," Kairi explained.

"If you put it that way…" Sora whispered to himself as he softly petted the horse's neck.

Slowly, he placed his left foot in the horse's left stirrup, trying his best to remain as stable as possible. Occasionally, Sora would be slightly jerky in his movements, unsettling his horse momentarily. Kairi coached Sora along to reassure the horse that he was harmless. Thus, Sora would alternate trying to get both his feet into the stirrups, while patting down the horse's neck for reassurance. Eventually, though, Sora managed to find the flexibility to slide his right leg over the horse's back and insert his foot into the right stirrup. Breathing a long sigh of relief, Sora took hold of the horse's reins and pushed himself to sit upright.

"Definitely not going to make a hobby out of this," Sora muttered.

"At least you learned something, right?" said Kairi. She was already well ahead of Sora, able to lead the horse around the stable easily. "Just talk to your horse, Sora. You'll be surprised at all the commands these guys already know."

"Like, go!" Sora called out, accidentally smacking the horse's sides with his feet. In response, the surprised horse reared back and galloped forwards and out of the stable.

Kairi shook her head in response, but found the scene to be humorous. In turn, she ordered the horse she was riding to gallop alongside Sora's. Fortunately for the both of them, Sora eventually regained control and was able to lead his horse with fewer and fewer problems. Still, occasionally Sora would forget how to manage his own movements and unnerve his horse in some way. But with the knowledgeable Kairi guiding him along, Sora gradually became less error-prone and was able to handle his equestrian skills quite adequately.

After weaving around the mountain passes for a moderate period of time, the two Keyblade-wielders' trip back to Agrabah finally began. It would have been much easier for them if Aladdin and Cassim were in their sights, but unfortunately, the father-son duo was already well ahead of them. The paths were relatively straightforward, but once Sora and Kairi found themselves at the border of the vast desert, they knew the more difficult part of their return trip had begun.


	69. To the Vanishing Isle

**Chapter LXIX:**

Sand. A hundred miles west: sand. A hundred miles east: sand. Everywhere they looked, there was sand. There was nothing but sand for miles, besides a few occasional dead shrubberies poking out from the arid dunes. The trek across the desert would have been much easier had it not been for the alternating rolling sand dunes. Eventually, Sora and Kairi looked behind them to find only sand in their sight. They ventured deep enough into the desert that they had no choice but to push through. The prints of horseshoes were still somewhat fresh, though the hot desert breeze felt no shame in slowly erasing the tracks. All Sora and Kairi could do was command their horses to pick up some speed, to hurry along the path of the prints before the gusts can grow strong enough to eliminate every last horse track.

Then again, the horses were not machines and had to keep a certain pace in order to avoid complete fatigue. Time was not the greatest threat, only the path back to Agrabah was the critical issue. Sora and Kairi were keen enough to know that Aladdin and Cassim's horses should be just the same and had to take the same breaks as well. But as the sun began to set and the air of the desert night settled in, it was more difficult to trace the tracks by moonlight. Gradually, the sky completely darkened and the two Keyblade-wielders decided to settle down for the night and resume their expedition in the morning.

"How far away do you think Agrabah is from here?" Kairi wondered out loud as she channeled a sphere of fire at the tip of her Oathkeeper.

"I think we're getting close," Sora answered as he placed more dried shrubs and other vegetation in a giant pile. "It took us almost as long to get from Agrabah to the Forty Thieves' hideout on the Magic Carpet."

"That's true," said Kairi, firing the ball of molten energy into the great pile of dried vegetation. A relatively large campfire was created, one that both Sora and Kairi hoped could last them through a chilly desert night.

For a while, the two of them laid on their backs, perpendicular to each other with the tips of their hair just barely touching. The sand was far cooler now than it was in the afternoon. The vastness of the desert actually produced no sounds. The only ambiences were from the fire, the slight howl from the night wind, and the occasional sand dune rolling over from the breeze. Gazing at the specks of stars in the cloudless night sky cleared the minds of Sora and Kairi. At the moment, nothing mattered.

Nothing _would_ have mattered had it not been the shrill neigh of the horses that nearly stopped the hearts of the two Keyblade-wielders. Immediately, the shock bolted Sora and Kairi off their backs and onto their feet. Their hearts were beating furiously from the unexpected warning. Before the two could further react, they noticed their two horses galloping away on impulse. Completely confused and caught off guard, Sora and Kairi watched in disbelief at the sight.

They could not do anything to stop their rides from running off and out of view, but they could find out what caused the sudden dilemma. Calling out their Keyblade, their questions were answered once the blades began to faintly glow. Heartless. Sora wondered if it was the fire that they created or the fact that the two of them were absentmindedly relaxing under the stars that lured the menacing creatures over.

"Of course," Sora muttered in frustration. "Can't forget about these guys."

The beady yellow eyes of the Heartless slowly came into view. There were not that many, but these were not the ordinary Shadow Heartless. These were all Bandit and Luna Bandit Heartless, much more problematic than simple Shadows. Nonetheless, Sora and even Kairi were experienced enough to tackle such foes.

Sora displayed his usual prowess at physical combat, flawlessly eradicating all the Heartless that challenged him. As for Kairi, her constantly improving magical capabilities also put on a show. Arrays of Fire, Blizzard, Water, spells in combinations with Magnet spells were all used, rendering all the Heartless that Kairi faced completely harmless. One after another, the Heartless dissipated into the air, without the Keyblade-wielders even breaking a sweat.

"And that's that," said Sora, calling off his Oblivion.

"Yeah, but now what are we going to do?" Kairi asked. "The horses are long gone."

Sora sat down on the sand and heaved a sigh. This was quite the predicament. Even if they just had to travel a few more hours in the morning, that would probably take another day if they were to walk. Though time would not have been much of an issue with the horses, if they had to walk, it would be a different story. Plus, it was uncertain whether or not the tracks left by Aladdin and Cassim's horses would still be visible later on. Sora scratched his head in thought, but in reality he had no idea.

"Maybe we should wait until morning," Sora finally said. "You're not thinking about walking in the dark are you?"

"Probably not," Kairi said with a smile. "Worst case, we walk in the heat tomorrow."

"Ugh, I don't wanna think about that," Sora groaned, falling on his back next to the campfire. "But if we have to, we'll do it. Anyway, get some rest."

* * *

When the sun inched above the horizon to signal the coming of dawn, Sora and Kairi were already up and about. Perhaps it was the change in temperature or the fact that the campfire had completely sizzled out, but the two of them were awake and ahead of schedule. They had planned to take the simplest method of getting back to Agrabah: walking. Fortunately for them, the prints were still in the sand, albeit only slightly visible. But then, something caught Sora's attention.

"Now what?" Sora asked when he suddenly caught the sight of an object hurtling towards them.

"Is that…?" Kairi started to ask.

Kairi let out a yelp and Sora used his forearm to shield his eyes when a giant plume of blue smoke erupted in front of them. But upon closer look, the explosion only brought joy to Sora.

"Look who's here, Kairi!" Sora exclaimed.

"Oh, yes!" a blissful voice answered. "Here he is: the one and only, Genie of the Lamp!"

As if on cue—for himself—Genie rocketed vertically from the blue smoke and spun acrobatically a few times in the air before landing in front of Sora and Kairi. After finishing the act with a bow and a wink, the showy djinn was rewarded with awkward applauses from Sora and Kairi.

"Well, well, I finally found you two," said Genie. "Al was right, all right. You two can't be done in for just fallin' off some cliff."

"How is he?" Sora asked. "And, uh, his dad?"

Genie scratched his head in thought.

"About that," he said after a moment. "There was this tiny problem. Y'see, the royal family there figured out that Cassim's the King of Thieves and tossed the guy in the dungeon."

Sora opened his mouth to ask a question, but Genie disregarded the signal and continued.

"But then Al was being Al and broke his old man outta there—plus beating past some royal guards, that's a no-no right there—and you can picture all that? I tell you it was a mess. Boy, am I glad to see you two! You gotta help me out here!"

"Genie, slow down!" Sora exclaimed.

"What's going on?" Kairi inquired.

"Sorry, got excited with my storytelling," said a panting Genie. "Anyway, Al told me that his dad and the parrot went back to the Forty Thieves. But Al came back to the palace, 'cause Al was being Al again with his heroics and sense of righteousness, and confronted the sultan for his actions. I guess the sultan understood Al's actions and accepted Al's apologies…"

"Glad that turned out well," Sora commented. "So… what do you need help with?"

"Oh," Genie continued. "You see… that parrot Iago flopped back to the palace not too long after the drama was over to bring us more drama!"

Sora and Kairi nodded simultaneously and awaited the news.

"Cassim's been kidnapped! By his own thieves! They want him to use the Oracle to find the Hand of Midas!"

"The Hand of Midas?" Sora asked.

"It's an old artifact that the owner can use to turn anything it touches into pure gold," Genie explained. "Kinda obvious why the thieves would want it, eh?"

"So that's why Cassim was after the Oracle before," Kairi pointed out. "And now it looks like the Forty Thieves can get what they're after, huh?"

"I doubt Cassim has anything to do with it now," Sora added. "I bet the thieves are just using him."

"Gee, you two catch on pretty quick," said Genie.

"Hey, we went through a lot in the past couple of years," Sora said proudly. "We have to think fast."

"Good, because we're leaving… fast," said Genie. "Al and Jasmine are already heading to where Cassim might be. That's where we're gonna meet 'em."

"Do you know where they're going to be?" Sora asked.

"The Vanishing Isle," Genie answered with a mysterious tone. "An island that's never in the same place twice."

"Sounds surreal," Kairi wondered out loud.

"That's right, girl," said Genie. He took a deep breath and place one hand on Sora's shoulder and the other on Kairi's. "Don't blink."

In a split second, the three of them disappeared in a giant plume of blue smoke, leaving no trace of their time in the desert but a pair of fading footprints leading across the sandy dunes. Not a moment passed though, before Sora, Kairi, and Genie found themselves on the rocky, marble settlement that was seemingly built around the mysterious island called the Vanishing Isle.

In the meantime, not too far off, Aladdin and Jasmine motioned for the Magic Carpet to slow down as they caught sight of the mythical isle in the dense, oppressive ocean fog.


	70. The Hand of Midas

**Chapter LXX:**

"The Vanishing Isle," Aladdin whispered as Jasmine and he, flying silently through the air onboard the Magic Carpet, neared their destination.

"On the back of a… giant turtle," Jasmine gasped.

"And never in the same place twice," Aladdin pointed out, suddenly realizing why the isle kept disappearing. The giant sea turtle was the cause! He felt his adrenaline rush in and ushered the Magic Carpet to speed into the descent. "Let's get closer."

"Look," Jasmine said with a smile. "I think Genie's found our two friends."

"You're right!" Aladdin exclaimed happily when they neared the marble ground. "Nice job, Genie, you found 'em!"

"Ah, we could've made it back to Agrabah on foot," Sora said playfully. "…Eventually."

"Time to rock and roll, dudes!" Genie bellowed, pointing out to an oncoming squad of thieves.

"No time wasted," said Sora, summoning his Keyblade alongside Kairi.

"Right. Hold them off," said Aladdin. "I'm going to find my father."

The reunion was kept short and simple, as Sora, Kairi, Genie, and Jasmine proceeded to follow Aladdin's request and countered the charging thieves. Fortunately for them, the opposing number was far less than the whole forty. There were no more than a dozen in view. Sora continuously prayed that this was all. A dozen thieves were already a handful for the four of them, although Genie's magic made short work of the assailants.

But even when the thieves began to flee, there was no time for celebration for the group. Sora and Kairi's Keyblades emitted their well-known glow, signaling the arrival of unwelcome guests.

"Heartless," Sora muttered.

"Oh, boy, those things?" Genie said, patting dust off his hands. "Hey, bring 'em! We got this."

They waited anxiously, knowing that the Heartless could appear anywhere at any given moment. However, as a minute passed, five minutes, ten minutes passed without any sign of danger—but with the continuous glow from the Keyblades—anxiety became curiosity. Where were they?

"And I was ready, too," Genie yelled out.

A sudden rumble across the isle caught the group by surprise, followed by a deep, vicious bellow. Instantly, curiosity returned to anxiety as the group sought out the source of the quake and the roar. But as they neared the edge of the isle, anxiety transformed into pure distress. The head of the giant sea turtle rotated to glare straight into the eyes of Sora and Kairi, who stood in the front. Its eyes—flaring red with malice—made Sora flinch in uneasiness.

"This might be a problem," Sora muttered.

"Here's our Heartless…" Kairi sighed, shaking off prior feelings of fear. "What do you suppose we do?"

"We can't knock it out," said Sora. "Or else this whole place's gonna sink."

"That's true," said Jasmine. "Besides, we're in better shape by being on top of it."

Still glaring at Sora and Kairi, the giant turtle Heartless roared again and launched a great tremor along its back, answering the group's question about the quake's epicenter. Enraged at the fact that the group remained standing, the Heartless began a series of furious shaking and spasms. Genie and the nearby Magic Carpet figured out a great way to counter the rampant creature's actions by lifting the group a few feet into the air.

"I wonder why it won't just dive into the ocean?" Sora wondered. "If it wants to get rid of us so badly…"

"The legend of the Vanishing Isle has some stories that say the isle will always be on the surface for a certain amount of time," Jasmine answered. "Why that is so, I don't know."

Still berserk, the turtle Heartless twitched violently, clueless as to why it could not shake off the group. It was a sight to behold, but as the tremors became more and more powerful, the group wondered about Aladdin's safety. Pillars were collapsing here and there from the quakes. It was no longer child's play. Without warning, Sora leapt off from the Magic Carpet and dashed towards the inner parts of the isle, where Aladdin headed earlier.

In no mood to question Sora's intentions or to allow him to perform his typical heroics alone, Kairi soon sprinted off after him. However, the two teens were now able to experience the power of the giant Heartless. Unable to properly balance themselves, Sora and Kairi constantly fell to their hands and knees, simultaneously at risk of falling debris that broke off from the relentless tremors.

"Hang on, you two," Genie called out.

Leaving Jasmine in the care of the Magic Carpet, Genie teleported in front of the turtle Heartless and instantaneously diverted the beast's attention onto him and solely him. Sora and Kairi rolled away in separate directions to evade the last bits of collapsing bricks and rubble before easing themselves back up on their feet as the quakes died down. For the time being, they had to hope Genie could distract the Heartless long enough for them to find Aladdin. And hopefully, Aladdin had already located his father.

* * *

Deep within the isle, Aladdin found Cassim, who was able to free himself from the clutches of his former followers. The core of the Vanishing Isle was paradise, a genuinely breathtaking view. The sight of his son just a few yards away from him caught Cassim by surprise. Without hesitation, the father-son duo rushed towards each other to make sure what they saw was true.

"Touching!" a sinister voice shouted out.

Aladdin and his father twisted around and found the gleam of Sa'luk's golden claws rising from the dim corridors.

"You're taking me to the Hand of Midas, Cassim!" Sa'luk roared angrily as he stormed towards the ex-King of Thieves.

Not allowing another step from the merciless warrior, Aladdin recklessly tackled Sa'luk from the side with enough force to knock the brawny man unconscious. It was a lucky break, as Aladdin was completely unarmed. Helping his slightly shaken son off the ground, Cassim had only bright smiles of gratitude for Aladdin.

But with the sounds of rapid footsteps approaching them from another corridor increasing in volume, both Aladdin and Cassim braced themselves for another challenge. Yet, when the silhouettes revealed themselves, Aladdin breathed out a sigh of relief. Sora and Kairi had finally found their way to them.

"Nice of you two to drop by," Aladdin greeted his friends. "You remember them, right, dad?"

"Oh. Yes, I do," Cassim answered, though hesitantly. "I guess… I owe you two an apology for what happened before at the hideout…"

"Ah, don't make it sound so bad," said Sora, shrugging his shoulders. "We're all alive, at least… wait, is that Sa'luk?"

"Looks like it," Kairi said with a nod as she inched closer to Sa'luk's unconscious body.

Sora made a face of disgust and then looked around the colossal room in awe.

"You know, if this place was always on the surface, I wouldn't mind hanging around here," said Sora. "It kinda reminds me of home. The brightness, the clear water, and everything."

"It does have that feel to it," Kairi agreed. "Except that we're on a giant Heartless."

Aladdin made an expression that could only exemplify astonishment. Kairi giggled and continued.

"Genie's handling that situation for now. Anyway, where's the Hand of Midas?"

Sora, Kairi, and Aladdin all turned to face Cassim, who showed a little smirk at the attention and pointed towards the highest point in the vast room. From where they stood, the exact location of the priceless artifact was not clear, but the consensus was that it was towards the ceiling, past the many golden pillars and artificial waterfalls that poured from various angles of the room. There were several staircases surrounding the room, but picking the right one seemed to be an issue.

Still, getting to the Hand of Midas may prove far more difficult than they had imagined. As soon as Cassim made a move for one of the long staircases, the immediate vicinity began rumbling violently. Both Aladdin and his father expressed great puzzlement, but Sora and Kairi knew exactly what was happening.

"What is that?" Aladdin asked as he clung onto the railings. Cassim was only a couple of yards ahead, but he was sprawled over the stairs as well, trying his best not to fall over.

"You know that giant turtle this whole place is on?" Sora started to explain. "And the whole Heartless deal that never ends?"

"Heartless?" Cassim interrupted.

"What Sora's trying to say is," Kairi began. "We're on a giant Heartless and it knows we're in here."

"This whole place is built on top of a Heartless?" Aladdin gasped in shock. He swung over the railing that he was clutching to and hurriedly started up the staircase. "Then we better get the Hand of Midas and get out quick."

"I like your thinking, son!" Cassim called out, pushing and hurrying himself up the stairs behind Aladdin.

Sora shook his head and bade Kairi to follow him as the two of them dashed forward to keep up with the two treasure hunters. The quakes alternately blasted through and stopped every minute or so. According to Sora's imagination, Genie must be trying his best. The distractions could only work for so long. Time was running out. They either had to leave before the Vanishing Isle disappears underwater again or stay and ultimately drown or get crushed by the erratic quakes.

Luckily for the group, the stairways were linked at a common point higher towards the ceiling. Still, when the tremors repeated, skipping from one staircase to another was not exactly the easiest of tasks. Excessively powerful quakes shattered parts of the façade, which sent hazardous chunks of debris hurtling downward. As the more violent quakes occurred more and more often, Sora had a feeling that Genie was running out of ideas.

"We're almost there," Sora kept telling himself. "Just a little further."

"You know, it's a pity I didn't find this place years ago," Cassim said, leaping from the staircase to the final heights. "This would be much easier if I was much younger."

"See! It pays to have a junior partner! Um, _partners_," Aladdin responded, pointing to Sora, Kairi, and himself.

Running on adrenaline, Cassim amazed the rest of the group by quickly scaling the smooth walls and unbalanced stairways up to the highest point in the room. Indeed, it was the Hand of Midas' resting place. The golden artifact hovered mystically on a floating panel, highlighted by the brilliance of the room. Regardless of the crumbling debris that collapsed in all directions, its radiance was unparalleled. It was quite a long jump from where Cassim was to where the Hand of Midas was, however. Before the thief lord could consider any ideas, Aladdin leapt from behind and barely managed to grab hold of the edge of the platform.

Sora, Kairi, and Cassim could barely watch the moment Aladdin flew off, but heavy sighs of relief came out simultaneously from their mouths when Aladdin successfully gained his footing on the floating panel.

"See? Junior partner," Aladdin laughed as he could not help but gloat for a bit.

"Be careful!" Cassim exclaimed when Aladdin made a motion to grab the artifact. "Don't touch the golden hand!"

Heeding the warning, Aladdin took the Hand of Midas by its hilt, without touching the glittering, golden hand that it was plugged into. He readied himself to toss the artifact over.

"Heads up!" he called out as he flung the artifact into the air.

Knowing what could happen if they touched the golden hand, Sora, Kairi, and Cassim looked at each other, wondering who would risk catching the artifact with their bare hands. Deciding purely on reflex, Sora summoned his Keyblade and called forth a Magnet spell to pull in the treasure.

"Great idea," Kairi commented, clapping her hands in applause.

As soon as the Hand of Midas ceased to rotate within the magnetic fields, Cassim reached in and took the artifact by the hilt. For a moment, his eyes seemed to shine with oncoming tears, but a quick blink and a hearty smile erased the sentimental emotions. Instead, Cassim laughed an honest laugh of triumph, the one laugh he seemed to have saved within him for decades.

"Come on, let's move," said Aladdin as he prepared to leap back. "Before this whole place goes underwater."

"Nobody's going anywhere…" a familiar voice suddenly disrupted.

Before anyone could pinpoint the origin of the voice, the brawny body of Sa'luk hurtled towards the platform from the limited shadows. In shock, Aladdin nearly toppled over. Instantly, Sa'luk pointed his golden claws at his throat.

"Give the Hand of Midas to me, Cassim!" Sa'luk bellowed. "Or your son dies."

Sora and Kairi both called forth their Keyblades and made a move towards the platform. But Cassim boldly stepped in front of them and beckoned them to hold still.

"Sa'luk!" he shouted in return. "Your battle is with me!"

"Don't worry, Dad," Aladdin muttered as he regained his footing. "I can take him alone."

"Let us help him," Sora whispered to Cassim.

"Sora and I can take Sa'luk out if we can get a clear shot at him," Kairi added.

Cassim gently shook his head against the Keyblade-wielders' offers. Instead, he glanced at Sa'luk and Aladdin on the platform and then the Hand of Midas, which he clutched tightly in one hand.

"But you're not alone… not anymore," Cassim responded silently to Aladdin's words. With one last look at the Hand of Midas, he decided. "You want the Hand of Midas, Sa'luk? Take it!"

With the final parting words with the treasured artifact he hunted for so many years, Cassim threw the Hand of Midas to the side of the platform, barely in Sa'luk's reach. Ultimately successful in retrieving the artifact, Sa'luk cheered in his apparent victory.

"The Hand of Midas is mine!" he roared before redirecting his free claws back to Aladdin. "And so is the life of the brat."

Sora had no patience left and proceeded to launch his attack on Sa'luk. However, again Cassim held him back. Immediately opening his mouth to protest, this time it was Kairi who stopped him. She pointed towards Sa'luk and stared in amazement. In turn, Sora pivoted around and nearly dropped his Keyblade.

"What are you all staring at?" Sa'luk spat. "Do y—"

Generating nothing more than a thunderous howl of rage, Sa'luk flailed as the Hand of Midas slowly transmuted his body into solid gold. Rapidly, from the hand that held the artifact, to the chest and torso, the legs, and finally, the seal that locked the head silenced the vast room for a moment. The stiffened body of Sa'luk slid off the platform and plummeted into the deep water below.

There was no time for celebrations. The silence that seemed to last far longer than actuality vanished immediately when the terrifying roar of the giant turtle Heartless rang through the entire isle. Moments later, all forms of tremors disappeared as well. What followed was far more threatening than mere quakes. The water from the fountains overflowed and spilled through the bottom of the room. Witnessing the steady rise of the water level, the message was clear to the group.

"We have to get out of here," Sora said quietly. "Right now."


	71. A Job Well Done

**Chapter LXXI:**

Jasmine, sitting atop the Magic Carpet, gazed down towards the Vanishing Isle. Genie joined her after a moment, having done all he could to stall the raging Heartless that controlled the mobile island. Torrents of water gushed in and out of the isle, a chaotic marvel. Both Jasmine and Genie had one thing on their minds: what had become of the heroes that remained within?

While the exterior of the Vanishing Isle already appeared to be in complete disarray, the interior—where Sora, Kairi, Aladdin, and Cassim were still trapped in, was even more frenzied. Not only did spontaneous bursts of water blast across the halls and rooms, the constantly sinking and quaking isle caused hazardous debris to tumble from the walls and ceilings. But with no other alternatives, the group pressed on, trying their best to find an opportunity to bail.

Sora and Kairi managed to conduct a synchronized Reflect spell, although Kairi's quickly succumbed to the force of the falling debris. In time, though, Sora felt his own spell diminishing in power. As the giant Heartless' bellows echoed through the cavernous halls within the isle, the tremors became stronger and stronger. Sora was fully aware that if neither Kairi nor he could keep up the Reflect spells, the group faced imminent danger.

"I don't know how much longer I can keep this up," Sora muttered to himself as he herded the group through the crumbling halls.

"Sorry, Sora," said Kairi, as she shot small bolts of flame to counteract the falling debris. "This is the most I can do right now."

"We'll be out of here in no time," Aladdin said, trying to ease the pressure off the two teenagers. "Jasmine and Genie should be waiting for us outside."

A ball of fire demolishes a colossal brick that hurdled towards the group. Kairi remained alert for further perils. Sora strengthened his Reflect spell for just a moment to block off multiple chunks of wreckage that flew in unpredictable directions. Time was running out. In just a few minutes afterwards, Sora heaved a huge sigh and placed his hands on his knees for a moment. He exhausted his magic capabilities.

"Here!" Cassim called out. He pointed to a crack with natural light shimmering through. "Now or never!"

"I got it, Sora," Kairi declared confidently.

Rearing her Oathkeeper back to charge up a powerful spell, Kairi took the lead and blasted away the thick wall that separated the group from the outside. A roar from the turtle Heartless ensued. More debris collapsed from the surroundings, forcing each member to scatter. At the same time, potential rescuers quickly entered the scene, just a few yards off. Aladdin's eyes lit up when he took note of the safety of Jasmine and Genie.

"Come on, all! Hop to it!" Genie exclaimed, teleporting to where the group remained. "Unless you feel like gettin' crushed to bits and then crammed into the ice-cold sea, hop aboard!"

"Wait," Sora suddenly said.

"What is it, Sora?" Kairi asked, just as she was about to follow Aladdin and Cassim onto the Magic Carpet.

"Take me to the Heartless, Genie," Sora answered. "We can't forget what Kairi and I came here for."

Genie scratched his head for a second before helping Kairi aboard the Magic Carpet. Then he floated to Sora's eye level and displayed an expression of sheer doubt and cynicism.

"Sora, I know you're one tough kid and definitely an eye-opener," he started. "But just what exactly are you trying to pull here?!"

"If you're going to fight it, let me come with you!" Kairi added.

"Oh, don't worry, Kairi. I'm not gonna fight it," said Sora, trying his best to reassure Kairi. "Just take me in front of it, Genie. I just have this feeling."

"Can't go wrong with gut instincts, I guess," Genie said with a shrug.

Without warning, Genie teleported once behind Sora and grabbed hold of the young warrior and then teleported both of them out of the isle and instantly into midair. Lifting Sora up above his shoulders, Genie maintained a reasonable distance from the wrathful Heartless that continued to senselessly roar in fury. The ripples that emanated from the isle traversed across a wide radius, proving the strength of the tremors that tore at the Vanishing Isle.

Sora summoned his Keyblade once again, having had the opportunity to regain some of his energy. For all the Heartless that have come and gone from this world, Sora wished to put an end to such events.

"Open wide," Sora whispered.

As soon as the giant turtle Heartless opened its mouth to unleash another horrendous bellow, Sora caught the sight of what he was looking for. A dim light was visible within the dark jaws of the Heartless.

"Gotcha," Sora whispered again.

Without missing a beat, Sora pointed the Oblivion directly at the Heartless' mouth and fired a thin beam of light, the signature magic of the Keyblade. Genie glanced up at Sora, wordlessly checking with the Keyblade-wielder if that was what he came to do, and Sora answered his comrade with a quick nod. The effect of locking the world's keyhole was evident immediately, as a deathly rattle sputtered out of the giant Heartless. Slowly, the demonic beast dissipated and the Vanishing Isle sank deep beneath the ocean's surface once again like it had supposedly done so for eons past.

After Sora completed the mission, Genie helped the Keyblade master back to the others. Having just witnessed Sora's actions, at first Kairi gave Sora an uneasy scowl, but then warmed up by playfully poking at his cheek.

"So when will you let me do something like that, huh?" she joked.

Sora pondered that question for a moment, not certain whether or not Kairi was actually offended that he always set out to lock the keyholes.

"Next time, for sure," he said. _Is that right?_

"You have to show me how, right?" Kairi continued to subtly joke.

"Uh, you just… point the Keyblade at the… er, keyhole," Sora mumbled. "I dunno, it just… does it for you… I think?"

Kairi never answered, but just gave Sora a smile and burst out laughing at his confused expression. For someone who knew so much about different worlds and about his own duties, Sora was still as naïve as any typical boy his age. Kairi figured she was like that as well, though she knew she would always be unable to judge herself.

"Let's go home, guys," said Aladdin. He looked around and met the eyes of Sora, Kairi, his father, and finally Jasmine, who faced him with a gentle smile. "We have some unfinished business."

* * *

Agrabah erupted in utter bliss. The marriage ceremony between Aladdin and Jasmine finally commenced and concluded. Sora and Kairi attended as special guests, although they were more or less forced to attend by Aladdin and Jasmine. Fully knowing their manners, neither Sora nor Kairi wished to intrude on the celebrations without some formal invitation. Formalities were tossed aside, as the new rulers of Agrabah wanted none of it when dealing with their treasured friends and saviors.

As the parties continued for hours after the final moments of the wedding, Sora and Kairi wandered off to the edge of Agrabah. There, within the shadows, Cassim was leaning idly on the dusty walls.

"They sure match, do they not?" Cassim casually said, looking onward towards the vast, neighboring desert.

"They sure do," said Sora. "You were at the wedding, right?"

"Of course, wouldn't miss it for the world," Cassim answered. He removed the casual outlook he had just a moment ago and suddenly became serious. "If there was one thing I learned in recent time, it was how to be a father."

Kairi's heart jolted when she recalled her own father in recent times. It was a crisis that could not be dealt with in their current situation. Using whatever strength she had, Kairi removed the thoughts.

"That's wonderful," said Kairi. "I'm sure Aladdin appreciates it."

"What will you do now, though?" Sora inquired.

As if on cue, the parrot Iago appeared out of nowhere and landed on Cassim's shoulder.

"The old man's still not on good terms with Agrabah's security," Iago blurted out.

"Eh, I might do some sightseeing nearby," Cassim said, shrugging at the thought. "Not to worry, I am still the King of Thieves. It's a title that righteously declares that I can handle my worth."

With those words, Aladdin's father and Iago disappeared into the shadows and, most likely, out of Agrabah. Sora and Kairi were left to their own thoughts. What was the meaning of being a _good_ parent? Sora never truly recalled his own father. Kairi's father may be considered a good father… at one point in her life. And then Sora let his imaginations wander and toyed with the idea that he himself may become a father in the future. Almost gagging at the intensity, Sora ruffled his hair and declared out loud to Kairi that he would remain just as he is for the rest of his life.

"No way," said Kairi.

"Why not?" Sora asked in curiosity. "You think I can be a good dad?"

"Sure," said Kairi, before she continued off on her way without Sora.

As for Sora, he opened his mouth to question again, but no words came out.


	72. Warrior's Dilemma

**Chapter LXXII:**

When Riku awoke from his temporary coma, he realized his surroundings had changed. No longer was it the glorious room where he fought and triumphed over the demigod Odin, nor was it the abysmal ruins that he wandered through just a while ago. It was a confusing sight.

_How long have I been out for?_ Riku wondered, massaging his forehead.

He struggled to rise, but stumbled from the blood that rushed to his head. The immense dizziness forced him to stagger a few feet forward before toppling over the loamy soil that now spread beneath his feet. Coughing up bits of dust and dried blood from his epic battle with Odin, Riku wiped himself off before striving forward once again.

The sun was shining through the scattered clouds that dotted the sky. With no sense of time, Riku shook his head in aggravation. He dug into his pockets and retrieved the Griever keychain that Leon gifted him earlier. Then he retrieved the two mysterious cards that were also placed into his possession while he journeyed through the ruins. One was of the Tonberry King and the other was the powerful foe he had just defeated, Odin. Three objects that Riku had absolutely no clue in how to use, though he at least figured the Griever could be attached to his Keyblade.

Walking aimlessly across what appeared to be an empty plain, Riku began wondering if he was still in the world where Leon resided. If he was, then he had to continue his search for the keyhole. If not, then he was in quite the predicament.

_Well, this is great…_ Riku thought.

He chuckled at his situation before sitting down on the dirt once again. He wanted a sign—any sign—that may point him in the right direction. He preferred not to use his dark powers to transport himself into another world, not when he had left so many tasks incomplete. But there were no Heartless around him. In fact, Riku realized he had not faced any Heartless threats since arriving in Leon's world. Was there even a threat? It probably would not hurt to be too cautious, but Riku did not want to waste any time, especially because he knew his enemies were constantly on the move.

Or so he told himself. Instead, Riku looked onward in his hopes of seeing any signs or hints. Eventually, hours passed by him and the sun continued to shift across the sky and the clouds he had followed drifted past the horizon. Still, not a single event occurred. As twilight approached, the constant breeze suddenly ceased. The minor detail alone was enough to slap Riku back to his senses.

The familiar eerie portal of the Corridor of Darkness tore open just a few yards off from Riku. The Keyblade-wielder summoned his Way to the Dawn and took this time to conduct an experiment. Hesitating for a brief second before taking out the Griever keychain, Riku ultimately decided to give Leon's gift a test run.

Since he only semiconsciously attached the keychain when he fought the Tonberry King, Riku was not fully aware of all the changes the Griever brought to his Keyblade. On attachment, the first transformation was the emergence of a lion-shaped emblem at the hilt of Riku's Keyblade. Subsequently, the blade of the Way to the Dawn straightened out completely, until a thin barrel-like tip formed at the end. The Keyblade retained its original form and likeness, in addition to its deadly edge and sharpness, but the addition of the barrel and emblem put many questions in Riku's mind. Finally, the light blade emitted a short, fiery red glow. The transformation was complete and Riku found himself holding a hybrid sword-gun combination.

Pointing towards the portal, Riku called out his cursed, dark powers and channeled the energy to his Keyblade. As soon as he caught a glimpse of movement from the portal, Riku fired a concentrated, linear bolt of dark energy straight towards the portal.

It struck. However, it was not a lethal hit. From the portal, a hand emerged first, smoky from repelling Riku's magic. When the face emerged, Riku scowled in irritation. First came the Nobody commander Xymgrel, who was soon followed by his equal, Sarlix. Still holding his weapon pointed towards the two Nobodies, Riku remained motionless with his piercing gaze locked onto the eyes of both Sarlix and Xymgrel.

"We really cannot drop our guard, can we?" Xymgrel muttered, shaking out his right hand in pain. "That energy ball was going right at my face."

"Well, it's a shame it didn't land, isn't it?" Riku snapped. He aimed his modified Keyblade at Sarlix's face. "I'd like to wipe that sarcastic smile off your face, as well."

"What's with all the hostility?" Sarlix asked. "We're not your enemies… right now."

"That's awfully reassuring. If you're not my enemy, then what are you?" Riku countered, his Keyblade glowing with a dark, purple hue in signifying a pending spell.

"Just not your enemy," Xymgrel answered.

With that, Riku lost the last ounce of patience that resided within him and he readied himself to fire off another concentrated bolt of dark energy. But in a split second before Riku unleashed his power, a searing pain blew past the inner sanctities of his mind, totaling the Keyblade-wielder over as quickly as he spun out his threats moments ago.

"Do you feel that?" Sarlix asked the anguished Riku. "Your friend Sora has been through that quite a few times already. Hmm, actually, it might suck if he got used to it by now—"

"You…!" Riku spat while clutching the back of his head in torment. "Is this how you prove you're not my enemy?"

"Hey, you were the one that was about to shoot us with your… Keyblade," Sarlix argued.

"We don't have much time," Xymgrel interrupted his companion in a whisper. "I sense them. They're still following us."

Sarlix dropped her arm as she released her hold on Riku's mind. The young warrior writhed painfully on the ground for a couple of seconds before releasing a sequence of strained gasps and coughs. The female Nobody glanced quickly between Riku and Xymgrel before approaching the weakened warrior.

"Listen. This war that's being waged is not the same as it had been when it started," Sarlix hissed in total seriousness. "We control the Nobodies, but our counterparts and Maleficent continue to call upon their dirty Heartless crowds. They have the numbers, and we don't. It won't be long before we get run over by Maleficent's forces."

"And you're expecting me to help?" Riku retorted in disbelief.

"We came here just for that," Xymgrel answered. "You fought our Heartless halves. They're hunting us. You ought to come with us."

_Ugh, great and you brought them to me!_ Riku wanted to curse. _And why would I join you two?_

"You're looking for the keyhole, are you not?" Sarlix inquired, virtually reading Riku's mind. "Don't answer, I know you are. Your two friends are doing the same a good few worlds away."

"You've… met up with Sora… and Kairi?" Riku asked. He wanted to ask more, like how his two childhood friends were faring, if they were facing hardships, or they have had a smooth journey so far. Unfortunately, he was far too exhausted and strained to keep his mouth open for long.

"You can say so. No one's alone here," answered Sarlix. Facing away, she summoned another dark portal. "If you've been running all over the place like we've been, you'd find the keyholes easily."

"I'm guessing you know where it is," Riku mumbled.

"That's quite the silly question."

"Then show me."

"Will you come with us?" Xymgrel asked once more.

Riku pondered his choices. He could continue what he was doing, which truthfully was absolutely nothing. If he were to continue, who knew how long it would be until he figured out where he was exactly and how much longer still until he finds the keyhole on his own. On the other hand, he had practically no trust in the two Nobody commanders. For all that they had put him through in recent memory; he had no fondness towards them.

A second portal opened behind the two Nobodies. A heavily clawed hand, the familiar figure of the Heartless commander Syx was revealed with rapid speed. Following closely behind was a raging Grymox. It seemed Riku had no choice in the matter.

"Go, now!" Sarlix called to Xymgrel. She extended her hand to Riku, who remained on the ground. "Do you feel like dying?"

"For someone with no heart and soul, I'm not sure if you have the right to say that," Riku sneered. He propped himself up without Sarlix's aid.

"Well, now, I'll agree with you on the 'no heart' part," Sarlix responded with equal cynicism, crossing her arms towards her new ally. "But I may argue about the soul portion. Let's move, shall we?"

"You don't have to tell me that," said Riku, moving ahead of the female Nobody and diving into the dark portal that Xymgrel had already departed through.

Sarlix taunted the two Heartless commanders before escaping through the portal herself. In fury, Syx and Grymox stomped to where the portal once existed before bellowing in contemptuous defeat. Patrolling around the vicinity for a short duration, Grymox was first to comment.

"_They had one of the Keyblade-wielders with them,_" Grymox noted. "_It's now their double-edged sword. It makes hunting them far easier, but it is a danger to be near the cursed weapon._"

Syx eyes became fierce slits as the beastly Heartless scanned the surroundings. As if pursuing the two Nobody commanders was not enough entertainment, the Heartless commander seemed to have developed another devious idea.

"_Perhaps this will be better than killing them off right away,_" Syx schemed. "_Now that we have three key components together, the mistress has the right to know._"

On cue, the two Heartless commanders disappeared from the world, on their way back to the stronghold that Maleficent had based herself in.

Meanwhile, Riku and the two Nobody commanders appeared again, but unbeknownst to Riku, not in the same world. With some strength regained, Riku moved on ahead to explore, in hopes of finding the keyhole. After searching for a while, he came to understand that something was wrong.

"Where is it?" Riku asked directly. Frustration began to build up within him once again.

"Where is what?" Sarlix asked.

Summoning his Keyblade, Riku instantaneously pointed the sword just a few inches beneath Sarlix's chin. The sheer speed was enough to surprise the often laid-back Nobody. Xymgrel made a move to support his companion, but Riku already plotted one step ahead and had a wad of dark energy concentrated in the palm of his free hand. He readied himself to fire at Xymgrel had the Nobody stepped any closer.

"You know what I'm talking about," Riku muttered angrily. "The keyhole. The damn _keyhole!_"

"You know," Sarlix said aside to Xymgrel. "We really shouldn't get in the way of all these Keyblade kids jobs. They seem to take it really seriously… especially this one."

"Even at this moment, you're still cracking jokes?" Riku yelled in annoyance.

"You're so lucky I've exhausted what's left of my mind-bending magic," Sarlix said with a sigh.

"And?"

"Alright, I'll explain," the female Nobody started. "There is no keyhole. There, that's it."

"That's _it?_ What do you mean there's no keyhole? Are we even where we're supposed to be?"

"That's if you consider anywhere a correct place to be in…" Sarlix chirped.

"Damn you!" Riku roared as he stomped away in anger.

The Keyblade master was helpless. Now he was officially trapped with two Nobodies that have taken him to a world unfamiliar to him. It had been a very long time since he had felt so powerless, so incapable. Riku called off his Keyblade, finding no use for it in his situation. Instead, he leaned against a wall and casually scratched his head in thought. He felt legitimately beaten in a non-physical method for the first time. Apparently his mind was not quite as strong as his body.

"All brawn, no brain, eh?" Sarlix commented.

Riku did not even have the nerve to respond to the Nobody's typical mockery.

"Think you can settle down now?" Sarlix continued. "Hey, I think it's quite cozy here in this enclosed space."

Riku heard the words clearly, but felt no need to answer. He did look around his surroundings earlier. It was indeed a small area with natural light. The walls were of ordinary rock, but they had a feeling of human influence to them. The ceilings existed in the same fashion, with only a gaping hole that allowed the flow of oxygen and light that denoted any sense of naturalism.

"What do you two want from me?" Riku finally asked. "That _is_ why you two brought me here, isn't it?"

Sarlix sighed, as if thinking Riku's skull was as dense as brick. Even so, Xymgrel had none of Sarlix's sarcastic nature and was the one who answered Riku.

"There are several things we realized that we need you for," Xymgrel said calmly. "One is the fact that you're one of the holders of the Keyblade."

"What of it?" Riku interrupted.

"Obviously to instill fear in our Heartless counterparts," Xymgrel replied. "Of course, it makes sensing us all easier for them, but at least they may think twice before they attempt to attack us."

"…So I'm supposed to be your watchdog…" Riku droned apathetically.

"Not quite just that," Sarlix joined in.

She ambled over to Riku and stood right in front of his face. Riku, surprised that Sarlix was in effect the same height as he was, felt himself lean backwards ever so slightly. The response was a rude laugh from Sarlix.

"Ease up a bit, sheesh," she said while laughing. "Anyway, there are some ways we can make use of each other, that's where we're getting to."

"In other words," Xymgrel cut in. "A deal."

"And what if I say no?" Riku countered.

"What if it's to reunite you with your friends?" Sarlix offered.

Riku chose his words carefully, in addition to factoring in his own situation and various other scenarios. Certainly he wished to rejoin Sora and Kairi, but how could he face them now that he gave in to the powers of darkness yet again?

"Thanks, but no thanks," said Riku.

"How about just the girl?" Sarlix offered again with a sly smirk that stretched across her face.

"What about Kairi?"

"Oh," Sarlix began. She paced around Riku, put a hand on his shoulder, and whispered into his ear. "It doesn't seem like she's really safe. Aren't you a lot stronger, more competent than your younger pal, Sora?"

"What are you talking about?" Riku spat, as he shoved Sarlix's hand off of him. "I know Sora's able to take care of Kairi, she means the world to him!"

"Oh, do you really know that?" Sarlix continued to press. "I mean, do you?"

He was not entirely sure, but he was fairly confident. All he did know was that Sora meant the world to Kairi, and not the other way around. And because he considered Sora his one true friend, comrade in arms, even like a younger brother, he could not consider him incompetent in protecting Kairi. But then again, Kairi was almost like a younger sister to him, someone who must be properly protected and cherished. Could Sora do that? Riku found himself picking out all of Sora's immature traits, his flaws, and the reasons why he could be inept at simultaneously taking care of both Kairi and himself. Perhaps, Riku considered, if Kairi was out of Sora's way, Sora would be able to accomplish his goals more smoothly, as he had in prior years.

"If," Riku said after a period of thought. "Let's say I take up on your offer. Say you do bring Kairi to me. What am I supposed to do on my part?"

Sarlix and Xymgrel looked at each other momentarily, as if finally getting what they want out of Riku. As for Riku, his mind was once again in turmoil, not knowing exactly what he wished to do, what he wanted to accomplish. Whatever this deal was to him, he had to make a decision.

"The World That Never Was," said Xymgrel.

The few words were enough to send a chill up and down Riku's spine. The memories he held there were distorted, but some were very vivid. His form as Xehanort's Heartless manifested the distorted memories, but he was certain the memories were true. Riku had an idea what the Nobody commanders wanted. He was curious as to why that was so. Was it enough to tear Kairi away from the one she treasures? Now Riku had no idea if he was benefiting from this deal at all. He made his judgment.

"No deal," Riku decided. Before the Nobodies could respond, Riku continued. "But I'm curious about why you want to head to _that_ place. You'll owe me later."

With that, Sarlix put another smirk on her face. Xymgrel shrugged. It was not the way he pictured convincing the Keyblade-wielder, but the outcome was the same nonetheless. Both the Nobody commanders thought either Sora or Kairi could be used in influencing the headstrong Riku. But, they failed to understand how the warrior's heart worked.


	73. Prophecy: New Threats

**Chapter LXXIII:**

After using the King's Caller keychain to notify Mickey of their success, Sora and Kairi were soon on board the Celsius. Bidding farewell to Aladdin, Jasmine, and Genie, the group soared into the sky and disappeared into the void. After a taxing trip through Agrabah, Sora just wanted to take a well-deserved rest. When he looked to Kairi to see what the girl was up to—little to no surprise—she was already in a deep slumber. Donald and Goofy, absorbed in their duties, only periodically glanced at the two Keyblade-wielders in speculation.

"What?" Sora called out when he felt the eyes peering in behind him.

"How long do you plan on staring at her?" Donald teased. Goofy let out his unique chuckle when he overheard, but resumed his work.

Sora felt his face heat up somewhat, but averted his eyes from the sleeping Kairi. For someone who never journeyed across so many worlds and fought so many powerful foes, Kairi was holding up surprisingly well. It was a constant reminder for Sora not to underestimate the princess of heart, though he generally disregarded the royal title. He was not all too familiar with generic fairytales, and he displayed no interest in tying himself to such plots.

"Where to, Sora?" Mickey asked from the cockpit.

"Wherever there's trouble," Sora responded enthusiastically.

An unexpected thought grazed his mind. Sora remembered his words to Will Turner back in the world of pirates. He promised a visit. Whether or not it was necessary, Sora thought ahead and recalled the troubles he left to Will alone. Maybe it was the right time to reinvestigate the situation.

"Actually," Sora added. "Let's go back to Port Royal."

"Still have some unfinished business there?" Mickey asked as he shifted the Gummi ship's course.

"We never sealed the keyhole there," Sora admitted. "Plus, we left when trouble was just about to start there…"

"Good enough reason, if ya ask me," said Mickey. "Get some rest."

Heeding the king's orders, Sora slumped back in his seat and gradually shut his eyes. It has been a long trip for everyone. So many events have come and gone. So many friends and foes came and went. There were so many questions unanswered, so many mysteries yet to be unraveled. Had he not been used to such atmospheres, Sora felt he would have collapsed under the strain and pressure long, long ago. Sleep met up with him moments later, dragging him into black.

* * *

When Sora came to, the humming of the Gummi ship's engines had already ceased. He rubbed his eyes and took a look out the window. Tilting his head in puzzlement, Sora figured it was either far into the night or the group had simply landed in a very poorly lit location.

But it was silent. It was odd and Sora knew it. He turned to face Kairi's sleeping spot, but was faced with nothing but empty space. There was only a chair. Truth be told, there were only two chairs: his and the one Kairi was supposed to be sitting in. Sora quickly rose and approached the cockpit. That is… if there was a cockpit. With one blink, Sora found himself in utter darkness, enveloped by absolute nothingness. This nothing was the epitome of senselessness to him, where had he disappeared? He staggered backwards. In expectation of running into his chair, Sora leaned back, but simply crashed onto the ground. Now he was indeed in the middle of nothingness. The Realm of Nothingness.

_What the…_ he wanted to say. What _could_ he say that would solve anything?

Sora got back to his feet and proceeded to walk aimlessly forward. No matter where he went, there was nothing but pitch-blackness in sight. It was as if he was tossed into the bottom of the darkest abyss while he was sleeping. Did no one notice? Were Kairi and the others searching for him as he wandered in futility?

_You're running out of time,_ a voice resonated within Sora.

_Roxas. What is it?_ Sora responded to the voice. _Time for what?_

Before there was an answer, his Nobody, the ex-Organization member, the dual Keyblade-wielder, Roxas, faded into view. It was a translucent visage of the near-identical version of Sora, dressed in his casual collared black and white shirt and beige slacks. He gave Sora a welcoming smile, as if greeting a long lost friend.

"Roxas," Sora said again, aloud this time. "What… is going on here?"

"It's just a vision, no need to worry yourself too much over this," Roxas answered. "Think of it this way. I'm like a prophet for you at this moment."

"A prophet?"

"Someone who can tell you what may happen soon," Roxas explained, pausing in between some words. "Naminé may be able to tell you more, but it's too bad she's bound to Kairi and not you."

"Er…"

"Sorry, sorry, I didn't mean anything from that!" Roxas laughed while shaking his hands to help emphasize his expressions. "You're gonna hear me out or not?"

"I'm all ears…" said Sora. "So you're gonna explain to me about this 'running out of time' deal?"

"It's more than what meets the eye," Roxas explained. "You know Maleficent's always getting stronger the more time passes. And as Maleficent grows in power, so do her Heartless. You know all this because it's happened before."

"And there's something else about this…?" Sora spoke slowly in anticipation.

"This time it's a little different for you," Roxas continued. "Unlike your first journey, there were no Nobodies getting in your way. Just Heartless after Heartless. All you had to do was beat the Heartless that attacked you and seal off different keyholes. Maybe save a few princesses of heart here and there… but that's a given for any adventure, right?"

"How do you know all this if you've never existed before any of that happened?" Sora questioned.

"That's not important and we don't have long here. I can talk about that some other time," Roxas quickly countered to get Sora back on subject. "And unlike your journey before this—which was pretty complicated, in my opinion—there are some things you just cannot control. You can fight the Heartless. You can fight the Nobodies. Heck, you can jump into Maleficent's hideout and fight her for all I know."

"You're saying I have another enemy…?" Sora asked. All of this information made as much sense as the environment he was in.

"Not quite an enemy," said Roxas. "But an event."

Sora waited for the details. He put his hand out as if asking for a physical object.

"Kingdom Hearts," Roxas said solemnly. "It's collapsing."

"Uh," Sora sputtered in incredulity. "…What?"

"If you think about it," Roxas continued to explain. "When the door called the 'heart of all worlds' opens and closes over and over again, time after time after time of villains trying to break into it and taking its powers, wouldn't it make sense that it'll just end up falling apart?"

Sora understood Roxas' point. Even before his time, the Keyblades existed to fight the darkness. Whenever light and darkness fell out of balance, a war was waged between the warriors of light and the Heartless, the materialization of darkness. Though he was not certain, Kingdom Hearts must have played important roles in equalizing the powers of light and darkness then. Sora _was_ certain that Kingdom Hearts aided in the end of Xehanort's quest for power on more than one occasion. But ever since then, whatever happened to Kingdom Hearts in actuality was a mystery for him.

"You and Kairi both carry a great amount of light in your hearts," Roxas went on. "Naminé and I talk all the time when you and Kairi talk. But we don't exist in the real worlds like you and Kairi do. Instead, we're tied to the ways light and darkness work. Kinda hard to explain, huh?"

"No, I get it," said Sora. "So that's how you know something went wrong with Kingdom Hearts…"

"Bingo," Roxas responded. "I just had to let you know before it's too late to do anything about it. You and the others who hold the Keyblades may be the only ones who can deal with this problem. That's about it. See ya."

He fully comprehended Roxas' words. This was indeed a serious issue. Not wanting to imagine what would happen if the heart of all worlds disappeared from existence, Sora pounded his hands together in restless anticipation.

"Wait, Roxas," Sora called out when Roxas began fading from view. "Aren't you gonna explain how you know about my past, even though you never existed then?"

"It's simple, really," Roxas answered without making eye contact. The image disappeared from view, but his voice could still be heard.

_I'm not the only one who exists within you._

* * *

"Huh?!" Sora babbled in shock.

"Is something wrong, Sora?" a recognizable, feminine voice sounded next to him.

"K-Kairi!" Sora gasped as he realized where he was. He gripped the armrest that connected to his seat. He gazed forward and saw the two circular ears that proved to be King Mickey's. Both Donald and Goofy—who were busy at their posts—momentarily paused to examine Sora's bewildered state.

"Gawrsh, you don't look so good, Sora," Goofy commented.

"No, it's okay, I'm fine," said Sora, wiping a bead of sweat off his forehead. "Just a… a bad dream."

The words reminded Kairi of the situation she and Sora were in on Destiny Islands, in the early onset of their journey. An odd dream plagued Sora then, a visionary dream that served as an invaluable warning. Assuming the worst, Kairi took her guesses.

"Was it another message kind of dream?" she asked. "Like the one you had before about the Heartless returning?"

"Somethin' like that…" Sora answered. He simply did not know how to explain it.

Silence ensued, as Sora kept his thoughts to himself for the time being. Knowing the limits, the rest of the members onboard the Gummi ship resumed what they were originally doing. Donald manned the navigations, while Goofy sat idly with his hands near the ship's weapons system. Sora and Kairi sat quietly, awaiting their destination.

It was a short wait, as the Celsius soon began to slow down dramatically, prompting Sora and Kairi to look out their windows. Past the stormy clouds, Sora and Kairi caught sight of a vast armada cruising past maelstroms and monstrous tidal waves. Holding against the relentless winds, Mickey stabilized the Celsius and held the ship still in midair.

"Well, we're here," Mickey announced. He turned to Sora and Kairi. "Kinda crazy out there. What're your plans?"

"It looks like something's about to start," Kairi pointed out.

In a moment, a second armada from the west came into sight, just opposite of the first. Sora and Kairi felt a chill down their spines when they noticed a gravely recognizable ship that sailed first towards the churning maelstrom. It was the ghost ship: the Flying Dutchman. But to east, where the first armada was slowing cruising, one ship sailed forward. The rival, where Sora and Kairi's hearts lay: the Black Pearl. Before long, the group sat in their Gummi ship up in the skies, observing the cat and mouse chase between the two fastest pirate ships of the seas.

"It's the Black Pearl!" Donald exclaimed, suddenly remembering the memories onboard the mighty pirate ship.

The Flying Dutchman quickly gained on the agile Black Pearl, initiating the battle by firing off thunderous cannon rounds. Both ships crossed the outer edges of the colossal maelstrom, giving no quarters to each other. As soon as a fierce cannonball struck the Black Pearl, however, Sora gave Mickey the call.

"The ship that's being chased," said Sora. "Drop us onto it if you can."

Kairi winced at the thought of being thrown onto a ship, in stormy weather, from midair. She had no choice in the matter, though, as Sora quickly grabbed her hand and yanked open the Celsius' passenger door. Rain that blasted like bullets struck the inner sanctums of the Gummi ship, furiously pelting the onboard members.

"I can catch us when we land, Kairi," Sora shouted through the deafening thunder and ruthless rain. "Trust me!"

There was no time to linger. Kairi could only muster a quick nod before she clung onto Sora and the two of them dove headfirst into the torrential downpour.


	74. The Clash of Pirates

**Chapter LXXIV:**

With the rain pummeling their faces as they fell headfirst toward the dark tidal waves, Sora and Kairi could only see a haze of images below them. The Celsius' engines roared in the distance, with merciless cracks of thunder blasting in the mix. It was a daunting dive, as the two warriors dropped at least a hundred feet from the stormy sky. If it had not been for the pounding rain that numbed their bodies, the wind chill would have significantly affected Sora and Kairi. Frost developed on their clothes, but neither of them reacted to the cold.

"Hold on!" Sora said just loudly enough through the noise for Kairi to hear.

"I don't plan on doing anything else besides that!" Kairi exclaimed exasperatedly.

Mere moments before crashing onto the Black Pearl, Sora fired off a gravity-based spell in conjunction with a Reflect spell. Heads turned on the deck as the pirates looked on in complete surprise. Two teenagers, wrapped in a transparent bubble, hovered over the drenched wooden planks before landing with a loud thud.

Not knowing whether or not Sora and Kairi were friends or foes, some of the pirates steadied their hands on their sabers and rapiers. The majority of the onboard crewmembers were busy fending off the pursuing Flying Dutchman, which was deathly close to the stern of the Black Pearl. Cannonballs fired off back and forth with horrible accuracy as the torrential downpour and monstrous maelstrom factored into the navy clash. Unfortunately for Sora and Kairi, not all the pirates were patient.

"Wait, hold on a second here," Sora started, as he and Kairi took several steps away from armed approaching pirates. "We're not here to fight!"

"Aye, but those who drop in be usually unwelcomed," one of the pirates countered.

"At the ready!" another voice shouted out.

"I know that voice," Sora whispered.

"Sora, what do we do?" Kairi asked quietly. "It doesn't look like we came in at the right time…"

The conversation was suddenly cut short as a cannonball fired from the Flying Dutchman barely grazed the side of the Black Pearl, sending a massive shockwave to one side of the ship. A number of pirates were flung overboard like featherweight objects, their helpless flailing lending no aid. Sora and Kairi found themselves as impact victims as well. Sora nearly crashed into a serrated pike on the opposite side of the ship. All that he managed to do was letting out a feeble gasp in relief. Kairi was tossed higher into the rainy sky, though she landed forcefully on a bundle of wet ropes.

It was just one shot that induced the bedlam aboard the Black Pearl. But likewise, a cannonball shot towards the Flying Dutchman wreaked just as much havoc.

"Fire!" voices called out again. Explosions erupting from the armed cannons followed suit, sending rumbles and shockwaves through the ship yet again.

"Will!" Sora shouted as he strained to get back on his feet. "Ouch—"

Kairi hurried to Sora's side and helped him off the slippery deck as they turned to face the familiar figure clutching a column on the bow. But before they could get any closer, Will Turner, along with the rest of the leaders at the helm, bellowed out additional orders to attack.

Subsequently, a barrage of cannon fires shot off into the distance towards the Flying Dutchman, which managed to line up starboard to port. The battle became utterly deafening, drowning out the crackles of thunder and the bullet rain altogether. All Sora and Kairi could hear were incomprehensible shouts, painful shrieks, and infuriated curses on top of the cannonball launches.

"Will…!" Sora called out again, this time finding his way to the front of the ship.

"What the—" the pirate gasped as he turned his attention away from the fray. "Sora… and Kairi? When did you two—h-how did you two find your way here?"

"We did promise a visit, didn't we?" Sora responded.

"What's happening here?" Kairi asked. "It was nothing like this last time we were here."

"Mr. Turner, will you _please_ focus on t' task at hand?" the captain interrupted.

That voice. Sora switched his attention to the man who, not too far off, was steering the Black Pearl. The violent rocking of the ship, added onto the unrelenting rain, the blasting tidal waves, and flashes of lightning, inhibited Sora's ability to distinguish the face, but he knew fully well who the captain was. It was not who he expected.

"Wait a second," Sora called out as he caught a glimpse of the pirate captain's face. "That's Barbossa! Where's Jack?"

"Long story short, we got Barbossa to help us!" Will shouted through the racket. He pointed to the Flying Dutchman. "Jack's got to deal with issues on that side!"

"Where's Elizabeth?" Kairi asked loudly. "Did you find her yet?"

"Elizabeth's safe, she's right here!" Will answered. He turned to the frenzied pirates around him. "Stay on your feet if you don't want a watery grave!"

"Will!" a woman's voice called out.

Heads turned to the voice. Sora recognized the woman right away. Will's frantic yelling was truth, nonetheless, as Elizabeth Swann, dressed in exotic black leather and as radiant as ever, made her way to the group.

"Elizabeth!" Sora exclaimed. "So Will found you. That's great!"

Elizabeth glanced around, first at Sora, then to Will, and then Kairi. She made an effort to question Kairi, but was caught in between thoughts. She had only seen the girl once and never exchanged words with her before. Now was not the time, though.

"It's a pleasure seeing you again, Sora," Elizabeth spoke quickly. "But this reunion has got to wait!"

"She speaks the truth," Will added. "Heads up!"

Instantaneously, the clamoring amongst the pirates magnified tenfold as pirates and sailors from both ships swung to and fro via ropes across the giant maelstrom. Both sides clashed midway, with the unlucky victims cut down and dropped into the churning waters. For those from the Flying Dutchman that made their way across, it was up to the crewmembers onboard the Black Pearl to line up for defense.

"Will you help us?" Elizabeth asked Sora and Kairi, as she drew out her cutlass.

"Gladly!" Sora and Kairi answered simultaneously, both of them calling out their Keyblades.

"The tides have turned!" Barbossa announced with vigor, acknowledging Sora and Kairi's alliance. "Get busy, mateys!"

What started out as five or so enemy pirates swinging onto the ship's deck suddenly became a swarm. Relentlessly, the mutated fish-like pirates associated with the Flying Dutchman pounded into the first line of defense offered by the Black Pearl, tearing the outmatched crew away. Sora, Kairi, Will, and Elizabeth braced themselves as they clashed steel with steel.

The frenzied battle continued for what seemed like hours, as Sora and Kairi found themselves acting mechanically, their actions synced together as they had been throughout their journey. Backs against each other, they periodically swapped opponents, covering for each other when necessary. A high parry from Sora was followed by a quick, low counter slash from Kairi. Sora drilled his Keyblade into an approaching pirate and was covered by Kairi when she fired off lines of both fire and ice into another.

Similarly, Will and Elizabeth were just as synchronized. Resembling a ballet duo, the couple pivoted around each other and took out their respective adversaries, losing neither rhythm nor tempo. Flashing superior swordsmanship, Will and Elizabeth made short work of those who opposed them. And then for a split moment, Will grabbed Elizabeth's arm to get her attention.

"Elizabeth!" he called out frantically while short on breath. "Elizabeth, will you marry me?"

Before he could receive and answer, the couple swirled around each other once more and simultaneously routed two more enemy pirates. But it was an endless stream, as their foes came at them without breaks.

"I don't think now is the best time!" Elizabeth finally responded, though in an exasperated tone.

Swords continued to clash. Sora and Kairi periodically checked on their two comrades, in case they had to take over in an emergency. Seeing that Will and Elizabeth were somewhat distracted in their fights, Sora quickly motioned Kairi to follow him. It was apparent that the invading hordes of pirates took note of Will and Elizabeth's diverted attentions.

"Now may be the only time!" Will shouted out as he parried the blows of several pirates and, just as smoothly, beat them down into the ship's wooden deck. He grabbed hold of Elizabeth's free arm once again. "I love you. I've made my choice… what's yours?"

Again, before Elizabeth could respond, they had to defend against more assaults. However, this time Sora and Kairi leapt into the fray and covered the couple in their crucial moment. Sora gave Will a thumbs-up sign and bade him to proceed.

"I didn't know you were such a matchmaker," Kairi joked as she parried and pushed aside an oncoming pirate.

"Hey, I'm just helping them get through," Sora answered. "Or else we may be fighting these pirates forever!"

"Barbossa!" Elizabeth called out. She nodded to Sora and Kairi in gratitude for their support before turning to the captain at the helm. "Barbossa! Marry us!"

"I'm a little busy at the moment!" Barbossa bellowed in response.

For the time being, there was no one steering the Black Pearl, as Barbossa had to make his way around his own attackers. For a stocky man, the pirate captain was as agile and powerful as any of the best. Easily evading strikes from his opponents, Barbossa made short work of those who stood in his way.

"Barbossa! _Now__!_" Will yelled as soon as he cleared out an opening on the ship.

"Fine, then!" Barbossa yelled back. The big man leapt up to a high table by the ship's steering wheel and put his free hand on his chest, displaying an unusual moment of dramatic theatrics. "Dearly beloved, we be gathered here today…!"

Sora and Kairi smiled at the current situation, but lost no awareness on the matter at hand. For now, they had to defend this sacred ritual, regardless of how unorthodox it may seem. It was a fatiguing task, though. As soon as they dealt with the enemy pirates that were onboard, additional ones swung over from the Flying Dutchman to replenish the numbers. Indeed it seemed never-ending, but the time called for a push in their endurance.

"Elizabeth Swann, do you take me to be your husband?" Will began.

Swords clashed around them, the couple danced around each other again.

"I do."

An awkward smile rose from Will.

"Great!" he responded excitedly.

Swords clashed yet again, the shouts and cries of combat were dying out in the background.

"Will Turner, do you take me… to be your wife," Elizabeth continued, dodging a horizontal slash from a pirate. "In sickness and in health… with health being the less likely?"

Steel collided with steel, and the fight became almost trance-like.

"I do."

A pair of hands locked together, the words were spoken, and only one thing remained.

"As captain, I now pronounce you—" Barbossa called out.

As if on cue, he was interrupted by another attack from a pirate. The attacker was immediately punished by having his head slammed into the ship's side railings. Likewise, Will and Elizabeth still had to take care of their own attackers whenever Sora and Kairi could not fully cover for them. Barbossa simply skipped ahead in this climactic scene.

"You may kiss!" he declared.

Sora dashed ahead to stop a would-be charge from an enemy pirate. Kairi froze part of the deck and blasted away a small cluster of enemy pirates with a Blizzard spell. All Sora could do was give Kairi a speedy smile of approval in the girl's magic improvisation. One strike after another, the only thing the two Keyblade-wielders could do was to stall just a little longer.

"You may kiss!" Barbossa repeated agitatedly when the ceremony was delayed with nonstop interruptions.

Will grabbed hold of Elizabeth and Elizabeth gently placed a hand on Will's right cheek.

"Watch out!" Sora called out, sliding forward to kick away a nearby pirate, causing Will and Elizabeth to flinch and hesitate.

"Just kiss!" Barbossa groaned loudly.

Long overdue, Will and Elizabeth embraced and locked lips, sealing in the sacred pact that was made especially for them on the wild seas. Explosions continued in the background, as wooden debris soared into the air. Thunder continued to boom and tidal waves ruthlessly pounded into the sides of the ship. But to the newlyweds, it sounded like celebratory fireworks.

"Finally!" Sora gasped as he cut down one more opposing pirate.

With the short, but honest ceremony coming to an end, it was the ideal time to restore the Black Pearl to its original crew. Simultaneously, Sora and Kairi released a chain of elemental spells: Fire, Thunder, and Blizzard, upon the remaining swarms of enemy pirates. Those who were not caught in the inferno were completely victimized by electrocution. Those who remained were sealed in blocks of ice. With the majority of the enemy forces defeated by the combination spells, Sora and Kairi proceeded to take out the rest with superior swordplay.

When the masts of both the Black Pearl and the Flying Dutchman caught each other, only the churning of the maelstrom kept the ships in motion. At that point, most of the chaotic brawls had ended, and only the might of the cannons factored into the battle.

"If you're ready," Will called out to Sora. "Let's get Jack out of there."

Sora recalled the previous incident that involved Jack, Kairi, and him. The eccentric pirate had actually sold Kairi and him off to Davy Jones and the Flying Dutchman. The memory stirred a cautious and doubtful temper within Sora. The incomprehensible actions of Jack Sparrow destroyed whatever trust Sora had for the pirate captain.

"I can't believe he just gave us up to Davy Jones like that," Sora muttered.

Will was by the railings, ready to swing over to the Flying Dutchman. With the two ships locked together, it was far safer than before. Though he clearly heard Sora's words, he kept to his fair heart.

"He did help bringing Elizabeth and I back together," Will explained. "For that, I will lend his life a hand."

"Let's go, Sora," said Kairi. "It was horrible for him to ditch us like that, but we know what it's like on that ship. We need to save him!"

Sora looked over to the Flying Dutchman, the embodiment of dread. He had to admit, if Jack was trapped on the Flying Dutchman, the terror there was not worth any person's life. Thus, he decided. Sora gave Kairi and Will a nod of agreement and prepared to grab hold of a rope.

Out of the blue, a yelp was heard high above in the stormy sky. Two familiar silhouettes were clamped on the trapped masts.

"Speak of the devil," said Will. "That looks like Jack!"

"Incoming!" Elizabeth shouted in alarm.

Before anyone could fully discern if the figure dangling above their heads was Jack, the Black Pearl was faced with threats yet again. The stream of pirates swinging onto the Black Pearl seemed to have ended earlier, but with the two pirate ships tangled together, it made invasions far easier than before. Sora and Kairi prepared themselves for another fight, but they did not expect another foe to appear so suddenly.

Hazy pools appeared on the deck of the Black Pearl, followed by rifts in the watery air, and shadows all through the dark clouds. With the glowing of the Keyblades serving as the clarifier, Sora and Kairi groaned in frustration as the Heartless finally made their appearance. The numbers were not overwhelming, but for Sora and Kairi, it signified a greater menace at hand.

The same yelp echoed in the rainy sky, as one of the silhouettes was tossed further into the sky. Upon closer examination, the figure was confirmed to be Jack, highlighted by his erratic movements. Blazing through the clusters of enemy pirates and Heartless alike, Sora, Kairi, Will, and Elizabeth fought their way into the open while keeping their eyes out for Jack. Within a few moments, the free-falling pirate captain was seen, prompting immediate action.

"I'm going!" Will announced as he took off on a free rope, swinging across the fierce maelstrom.

Halfway across, he reached out and barely caught Jack's forearm. The pirate appeared bewildered from his circumstances and relatively surprised.

"Ahoy there, William!" Jack sputtered. "Fancy droppin' in, eh?"

"You're the one doing the dropping in," Will countered. "I'm taking you back to the Pearl. Appreciate it."

"I will _not_ appreciate it," Jack interrupted. He pointed to the other figure from before, still looming in the same spot. "I've somethin' to settle with 'im. I reckon you own a gun of some sort?"

"I… do," said Will, handing Jack a pistol. "You have but one shot, though."

"Bugger," Jack spat, loading the pistol with speed. "I'll make do with what I have then. Stop movin' around so much!"

Will ignored Jack's complaints as the two of them swung around the Flying Dutchman's mast, back onto the Black Pearl's side, and then again across the maelstrom toward the Flying Dutchman. In between, Jack aimed Will's pistol into the misty darkness. In a moment's time, the opposing figure cleared up, revealing the beastly Davy Jones. The Flying Dutchman's captain caught sight of Will and Jack, but was too late in bracing himself for an attack. Jack Sparrow took his only shot and struck Davy Jones' right hand, which clutched a massive, demonic chest. Davy Jones snarled on the bullet's impact when he dropped the chest, but could muster nothing to save it.

"That must be the Deadman's Chest," Sora noted as the chest dropped and bounce several times off the masts and planks before striking the deck, somewhere on the Flying Dutchman.

Looking up, Sora caught sight of Will and Jack swinging over to the Flying Dutchman, in pursuit of the Deadman's Chest. When Davy Jones unleashed one of his supernatural abilities, teleportation, Sora instinctively grabbed hold of a free rope in preparation to board the Flying Dutchman.

"Kairi, I'm going to help Will and Jack on the other side," Sora explained to Kairi. "Help Elizabeth and the others here, but stay safe."

About to protest, Kairi held back her opinions when she realized the daunting task of soaring across the monstrous maelstrom. Instead, she silently gave Sora a smile and nod before resuming the Black Pearl's defense against the invading pirates and Heartless. As for Sora, he followed the same path as Will and Jack, swinging past the maelstrom, which appeared far more terrifying up close than when on a ship. Shaking aside the awe, Sora soared past until he approached the port of the Flying Dutchman, where he made a final leap to board.

They were all separated amidst the frenzy of brawling pirates. Sora scanned his surroundings as quickly as he could, but he was unable to pick out Will or Jack. With no time to lose, he dashed into the crowds, slashing and hacking his way deeper into the ship.


	75. Deep End

**Chapter LXXV:**

This was the stronghold that once stationed the infamous Organization XIII. It was the arena within the Realm of In-Between that decided the last major battle between the powers of light and darkness. Not too far in the distance, Riku eyed the diffused outline of what is Kingdom Hearts. It remained standing long after Xemnas, the Organization's founder and leader, was defeated. Even when he teamed up alongside Sora, Xemnas never faded in strength and required all their abilities to wipe him from existence. But Kingdom Hearts was disappearing, and Riku knew it by seeing it with his own eyes.

Sarlix and Xymgrel stood further behind the keen warrior, motionless and silent. The two Nobody commanders knew of the change in the balance between light and darkness. It was an innate sense that was enrooted within those born from the shadows. Though Riku's powers were flushed with darkness, the stability he maintained with a heart of light prevented him from foreseeing this ensuing catastrophe. What could happen in the near future was inconceivable for him.

"Is this what you brought me here for?" Riku inquired, his eyes locked onto the dim heart-shaped moon.

"So you've noticed?" said Xymgrel. "What do you make out of it?"

"To be honest, I'm not surprised," Riku responded. He paced around in thought. "With all these recent battles—sealing and resealing of different doors across different worlds—it's no wonder the heart of all worlds can't take it any longer."

"If Kingdom Hearts falls apart, there's really no point in Maleficent even trying anymore," Sarlix pointed out. "And there's really no point in us Nobodies trying to find our original selves."

"Is that what you're after?" Riku suddenly asked. "To somehow get back your hearts?"

"That's every Nobody's goal," Xymgrel pointed out. "Well, besides those Dusks and all."

"You can find a lot of goodies here in the Organization's old base," said Sarlix, who joined Riku in the inactive pacing. "Like a lot of research that got transferred here from Castle Oblivion—"

"Castle Oblivion…" Riku muttered.

"I'm sure you had your fun there," Sarlix added with a chuckle. "Sure busted a lot of Organization members there!"

"Sora did most of the damage back then. And we weren't exactly fighting side-by-side at the time," Riku elaborated. "If you knew all of this, what else are you after?"

Neither Sarlix nor Xymgrel responded to Riku's question. They looked on in Kingdom Heart's direction, as if basking in the heart-shaped moon's limited radiance. Riku grew increasingly uncomfortable with the sight of the two Nobodies standing in this world, donning the identical black cloaks that signified Organization XIII members in recent history. It was a grim reminder of all the struggles he and all his friends went through in the past. No matter what they talked about, no matter what Sarlix and Xymgrel did for him, Riku could not trust the Nobodies.

"Well, as long as Kingdom Hearts stands," Sarlix finally answered. "There's the chance that my buddy Xymgrel and I can have our hearts restored."

"Otherwise…?" Riku asked.

"Hmm," Sarlix wondered out loud, tapping her chin in thought. "Who knows? Maybe we'll go and start our own Nobody army, like Maleficent's doing with the Heartless."

Riku quickly summoned his Keyblade and slid away a few feet in alertness. The response triggered spastic, boisterous laughs from both Sarlix and Xymgrel.

"Did you see how… how quickly he jumped out of the way?" Xymgrel coughed out in between his laughs. "Hell, it was priceless!"

"Oh, Riku, Riku," Sarlix groaned out while clutching her abdomen from the laughter. "You _really_ don't trust us, do you?"

"This isn't a game for me," Riku said sternly. "You may have nothing left to lose if Kingdom Hearts collapses, but wielders of the Keyblade have responsibilities."

Before Sarlix and Xymgrel could recover from their laughing fit, Riku tore open his own Corridor of Darkness and stepped into the abyssal passage. By the time Sarlix motioned for Riku to come back, the Keyblade-wielder left the premises without another word. Dumbfounded, the Nobody commanders stood their ground, suddenly at a fork in their road.

"You shouldn't have cracked that joke with him," Xymgrel complained. "You should know by now that boy's not one for humor."

"If his friends kid with him, I bet he could take it," Sarlix sighed. "We'll always be enemies in his eyes. That's fine, though. The whole point was to show him what's happening to Kingdom Hearts."

"Should we follow him?" Xymgrel asked.

"We'll run into him again, eventually," Sarlix responded. "Along with the rest of his group."

* * *

"Will!" Sora called out in futility. He pounded away a rampaging pirate. "Jack!"

The deck of the Flying Dutchman was no different than that of the Black Pearl. Both ships were constantly being swarmed by opposing factions, with neither side relinquishing control. Pirates from the Black Pearl pushed to overtake the crew onboard the Flying Dutchman. Likewise, pirates from the Flying Dutchman pursued the same goal on the opposite side. A loner amidst the fighting, Sora fought his way around, keeping his eyes peeled for either Will Turner or Jack Sparrow.

Then again, something else emerged that deserved his immediate attention. Davy Jones suddenly made his appearance after teleporting off the tangled masts above. In his hunt for Jack and the Deadman's Chest, Davy Jones bashed aside allies and enemies alike with his clawed, deformed left hand. Without thinking, Sora rushed forward towards the menacing foe.

"Davy Jones!" Sora yelled out.

"Eh?" the evil pirate captain sputtered out.

As if ignoring Sora, Davy Jones continued on his way towards his prized possession, the Deadman's Chest. The bulky trunk rested on its side on the drenched deck, untouched since its landing. Annoyed with Davy Jones' disregard for him, Sora made another run against the towering pirate.

"I remember you," Davy Jones said with a hearty chuckle. "The boy who served as a payment for Sparrow's debt!"

"I'm taking you down!" Sora announced before pointing his Keyblade at Davy Jones' tentacle-covered face.

"Tell me, boy," Davy Jones spoke solemnly, drawing out his rapier in the process. "Do you fear death?"

"Not in a million years," Sora answered with a smirk.

"Then I will show you the terror! Aah!"

Davy Jones lunged forward and Sora quickly sidestepped in combination with a parry. What followed was a long series of swashbuckling that consistently had Sora on the ropes. It caught Sora, who was very confident in his combat abilities, completely off guard. Instead, the young warrior had to work his swordplay with intelligence. His opponent had no mercy in his eyes, thus Sora had to respond by fighting with all his might.

"Zory!" a voice called from nearby.

The interruption temporary caught Sora and Davy Jones in an instant stalemate, as the pirate's thick rapier was locked in between the teeth of Sora's Oblivion. Their heads turned to face Jack, who scampered over and picked up the Deadman's Chest without hesitation.

"No!" Davy Jones roared as he tried to yank his blade out of Sora's Keyblade.

"Take it and go, Jack!" Sora yelled out.

"Don't mind me if I do," Jack answered, making a quick salute to Sora before running away in the opposite direction.

"Aah, you pesky rat!" Davy Jones bellowed.

Before Sora could react, Davy Jones used his free hand, represented by the crusted lobster claw, to belt Sora right across the face. Toppling and spinning violently into the side rails of the Flying Dutchman, Sora could only muster a feeble groan before he sat against the soaking wood, dazed and immobilized.

Unable to make sense of his surroundings, Sora barely realized the situation when Jack suddenly crashed alongside of him, with the thudding of the Deadman's Chest heard by their feet. The cackle of the unpitying Davy Jones was heard, as well.

"I thought you'd preoccupy 'im for a while longer," Jack sputtered.

"Ugh," Sora groaned again, trying his best to raise his Keyblade above his head. "Cure…!"

Wincing for a few moments, Sora regained his footing and wiped off the splinters and debris that covered his garments. Intrigued, Jack tilted his head and pointed at Sora's Keyblade.

"So that thing's does witchcraft, as well, mate?" Jack asked. "The wonders never end."

"It's not…" Sora tried to explain. "Oh, never mind."

"What is this?" Jack suddenly said, pointing past Sora.

When Sora looked to where Jack was pointing, he felt a chill run up and down his spine when he witnessed both Kairi and Elizabeth fighting against Davy Jones. Tightly gripping his Keyblade, Sora pushed off and sprinted forward.

"Sola… I mean, Sora!" Jack babbled as he got back on his feet. "Not gonna leave a fellow behind like that?"

Sora had no intention on prioritizing Jack's well-being over Kairi's. Without a glance behind him, Sora slashed aside remaining pirates that challenged him while pursuing Davy Jones, who was still toying with Kairi and Elizabeth.

"You'll see no mercy from me!" Davy Jones snarled as he beat aside Elizabeth.

Clearly overpowered by the pirate captain's might, both Kairi and Elizabeth felt their endurance wane. With a swift flick of his rapier, Davy Jones knocked the Oathkeeper out of Kairi's hand. Without displaying a remote sign of leniency, the pirate wound up his lobster claw for a lethal crush.

However, Sora had other plans. Using every drop of energy within him to get to Davy Jones, Sora leapt forward and drove his Keyblade straight into the back of the sinister captain. The successful assault cleanly mowed past the scales and carapace that served as the pirate's armor and penetrated the left side of Davy Jones' bulky chest. A hollow roar was all that Davy Jones let out.

"Missed," Davy Jones said mockingly, turning his monstrous head to face Sora.

Then, a battle cry rang through the ears of the fighters. With Sora's Keyblade jammed through the body of Davy Jones, Will Turner showed up on the scene, also driving his cutlass into Davy Jones' chest. A growl and a sigh left the pirate captain's slimy mouth.

"Missed again," he said to Will. "Did you forget? I'm a heartless wretch!"

Again catching Sora by surprise, Davy Jones swung his crab-like peg leg past Sora and Will's feet, tripping and knocking both of them onto the wooden deck. Sora quickly called back his Keyblade from in between Davy Jones' aquatic body and made another lunge at the pirate. But with diminishing energy and with Davy Jones' immortal existence, the young Keyblade-wielder finally became outmatched. With a swift parry using his left claw, Davy Jones bashed Sora straight into the deck, ultimately knocking the warrior unconscious.

Similarly, Will was left unarmed, weakened, and his back to the wall. With Kairi and Elizabeth fatigued and injured, it seemed as if the fight had finally been decided.

"Sora…!" Kairi mumbled out, attempting to summon her Oathkeeper once more.

"Will," Elizabeth whispered as she strained to move.

A smirk sneaked across Davy Jones' slippery face. He paced around the fallen warriors, mocking their attempts and taunting them to stand back up. Sora remained motionless with his face planted on the drenched deck, the rain continuously pounding on his pack. Aching and near expiration, Will lifted his head off the wall, but that was all he could manage. The tentacles squirmed all over Davy Jones' face, instilling disgust and fear into both Kairi and Elizabeth.

Kairi could only keep her watch focused on Sora. Will and Elizabeth continuously exchanged looks, with no plans for action. The smirk that lined Davy Jones' face grew more malicious by the second, his pacing infusing more anxiety in the hearts of Kairi, Will, and Elizabeth with each passing moment.

"Ah, love. A dreadful bond, and so easily severed," Davy Jones commented. He stepped past the immobile Sora and over to Will, the pirate's blade pointed at the young man's bare neck. "Tell me, William Turner… do you fear death?"

"Do you?" a gruff voice called from behind.

Bewildered, Davy Jones turned around to challenge the voice. Instead, for the first time, he felt horror of his own. Just a yard away, Jack Sparrow held the bleeding, beating heart that was contained within the Deadman's Chest; the heart that belonged to Davy Jones. The horror simply amplified when Davy Jones confirmed the state of affairs with the empty chest located by Jack's feet.

_He must have opened the chest just now,_ Kairi noted. Again she struggled to move, but she was absolutely exhausted.

"Heady tonic," Jack continued, holding a chipped, but serrated sword above the beating heart. "Holding life and death in the palm of one's hand."

"You're a cruel man, Jack Sparrow," Davy Jones sneered.

"Cruel is a matter of perspective," Jack countered.

"Is it?!" Davy Jones replied with fury.

Instantaneously, the evil pirate spun around and drilled his rapier straight into Will Turner's defenseless chest. Brutally, and excessively sadistically, Davy Jones cackled as he twisted his grip, driving the blade deeper into the heart of Will Turner. The sudden turn of events stunned Jack, who could only keep his broken blade hovering above Davy Jones' uncovered heart.

"No!" Kairi and Elizabeth gasped.

Davy Jones laughed menacingly in the background, mixed with the beating of the heart in Jack's hand, the pattering of the continuous rain, and the booming of thunder. Sora stirred from his comatose state and peered up from the ground. All he could witness was Kairi covering her mouth in shock, wide-eyed with her gaze locked on the blade that stood vertically out of Will's chest. The dying man moaned in pain as Elizabeth knelt by him, aghast, helpless, and defeated.

"Will… Will…" she whispered. "Look at me! Stay with me! You're all right!"

"Will!" Sora cried out as he charged off the floor.

Too weak to fight another duel with Davy Jones, the Keyblade-wielder charged, but dragged on the last few steps before crashing alongside Kairi. Just as helpless, Kairi opened her mouth to speak to Sora, but nothing comprehensible came out.

With all the mayhem that occurred throughout the ship, Sora was not surprised to see another deformed pirate charging into the scene. Keyblade shaking in hand, ready to defend his and Kairi's life at all cost, Sora buckled down and braced himself. But unbeknownst to him, the new pirate, highlighted by a starfish implanted on the side of his face, was not an opponent. Instead, this pirate charged Davy Jones in a fit of rage, clobbering, punching, scratching, and wrestling. It was not a matter that threatened Sora and Kairi, but once Davy Jones prevailed, the situation grew all the more dire.

Elizabeth's grieving words continued incessantly in the background. Jack remained where he was standing the whole time, still speechless and utterly shocked. Sora and Kairi, weakened and out of adrenaline, leaned powerlessly against the ship's walls. The newcomer pirate clung onto the ship's railings, another one conquered at the hands of Davy Jones.

"You will _not_ forestall my judgment!" Davy Jones bellowed to his subordinate.

Davy Jones raised his sword hand, getting ready to deal a finishing blow to the rebelling pirate, but an unexpected, sharp pain blazed through his entire body, freezing the pirate captain in place. Slowly turning around, Davy Jones faced what he feared: his bare heart impaled on the broken sword Jack held just before. However, the blade was momentarily grasped by the dying Will Turner, marking the dying man as the slayer of Davy Jones.

Unable to alter or handle the result, the deadened heart sealed Davy Jones' fate, as the once immortal pirate crumpled over the side of the Flying Dutchman and dropped into the churning maelstrom down below. Consistently, the thunder blasted with increasing power, as if the death of the notorious villain signified another sequence of events. Nothing changed the fact that Will Turner's life was near the end, however, as Sora, Kairi, Elizabeth, and Jack clustered closer to the dying man.

"No… no!" Elizabeth cried out in vainness.

"Will…" Sora murmured in misery. "No… I can't believe it."

"How can this happen…?" Kairi whispered, holding back the tears that streamed down her face.

The hand that just ended the reign of Davy Jones gradually fell limp, marking the worst. Elizabeth let out an overwhelmed wail, only to be held back by Jack Sparrow. Sora angrily punched the ship's wall, unable to withstand such an outcome. All fighting onboard the Flying Dutchman had ceased with the fall of Davy Jones. In a moment's time, the remaining crew of deformed pirates surrounded the body of Will Turner. Out of all of them, the one with the face marked with a starfish held the lead.

"Part of the ship," all the voices echoed. "Part of the crew."

It was a confusing, peculiar sight. Sora and Kairi did not know what to make of it, but they knew it had something to do with Will.

"Don't leave me!" Elizabeth cried out again as the wordless Jack restrained her. "No! I won't leave you!"

Jack quickly unraveled piles of rope and hooked them around the sides of the Flying Dutchman. Still rapt with helplessness, Sora and Kairi remained where they were, unable to comprehend why the Flying Dutchman's crewmembers were gathering around Will Turner.

"Both of you!" Jack shouted out, a rare seriousness in his voice. "We must go."

"W-what are they doing with Will?" Sora stammered.

"Grab your girlfriend and _go!_ Now!" Jack shouted again before swinging out to sea with Elizabeth clutched under his arms.

Sora did his best in maintaining his senses before he checked the stability of another rope that Jack had set up and beckoned Kairi to follow him. The two of them looked back on the deck of the Flying Dutchman as the crewmembers there completely enveloped Will's body. Turning away from the sadness, Sora and Kairi held onto each other as they departed on their way with Jack and Elizabeth, to the opposite of the maelstrom.

"The Dutchman must have a captain…" the pirate with the starfish face murmured.

It was the last thing that Sora heard before he kicked off of the Flying Dutchman's railing and soared out into the open water. The remaining Heartless were dropping in number as the Black Pearl eliminated the final threats. Breaking free of the masts when a cannonball was fired through the air, the two pirate ships finally separated, leaving the Flying Dutchman to sink into the swirling maelstrom.

"Sora," Kairi whispered, clutching both Sora and the rope as tightly as she could. "Look! In that whirlpool!"

Sora looked, and not a moment too soon, a dim light suddenly erupted from the center of the maelstrom, revealing a gaping black hole at the bottom of the sea.

"That should be the keyhole, right?" Kairi asked.

Sora nodded and called out his Keyblade. He pointed it downward at the core of the maelstrom, but held back at the last moment.

"I forgot," he said to Kairi, who was curious about the change in action. "Call out yours. I think it's your turn to do the honors."

"I don't think… I don't think this is the right time…" Kairi started. "I mean, the sea might close up at any moment. Maybe you sh—"

"Just go for it," Sora continued with determination, trying his best to encourage his partner. "Just point your Keyblade at it and it'll do the rest."

Giving into Sora's confident words, Kairi summoned her Oathkeeper and did exactly what Sora suggested. The maelstrom was indeed closing up like Kairi had mentioned, but once her Keyblade was lined with the keyhole, the familiar beam of light fired out of the blade's tip. It was a reassuring sight for Kairi, who was nervous in her first attempt to seal a world's keyhole.

The two of them briefly smiled at each other for accomplishing their usual mission, but when they looked back on the still water where the colossal maelstrom once formed, the thoughts of Will's body buried beneath the ocean floor formed a cruel and miserable image in their minds. The Flying Dutchman continued to sink, cuing Sora, Kairi, Jack, and Elizabeth to let go of their ropes.

The four of them landed safely in the water, steadily treaded in place, and waited for the Black Pearl to retrieve them. Only grimness highlighted their faces, as they were unable to completely soak in the tragedy that befell them.


	76. Caribbean Adieu

**Chapter LXXVI:**

Shortly after the Black Pearl hoisted up Sora, Kairi, Elizabeth, and Jack, another peril faced the worn out party. Without a moment's worth of rest, Jack Sparrow resumed his duties as the Black Pearl's rightful captain. The only optimistic aura that seemed to be present was the calming of the storm that relentlessly pulverized both pirate ships just a while ago. Other than that, despair continued to loom over the survivors.

"Jack, the armada's still out there, and the Endeavor's coming up hard to starboard," Joshamee Gibbs reported. "And I think it's time that we embrace that oldest and noblest of pirate traditions…"

"We need to get out of here," Sora said, short on breath. He recognized the incoming fleet of ships as the same navy that stood by before the storm had reached full strength.

"Never actually been one for tradition…" Jack muttered. "Luff the sails and lay on iron!"

"Belay that," Barbossa butted in. "Or we'll be a sitting duck."

"Belay that 'belay that,'" Jack countered instantly.

"But captain—" Gibbs pleaded, trying his best to convince Jack to order a retreat.

"Belay!" Jack bellowed in mockery.

"…The armada!" Gibbs continued to plead.

"Belay!" Jack repeated with increased intensity.

"The Endeavor…!" Gibbs carried on.

"Belay!"

"But we…"

"Kindly _shut it!_" Jack spat.

Right away, Gibbs obediently silenced himself. Meanwhile, Sora, Kairi, and Elizabeth kept to themselves, not knowing what they could possibly do to help. Sora analyzed the fleet that remained at a good distance away from the Black Pearl. Only one ship seemed to consistently move towards them. Logically, Sora figured that large ship had to be the Endeavor that the pirates were talking about. In comparison to the pirate ships that Sora had grown familiar with, the Endeavor appeared far more glorious, fully scraped clean and polished, and far more advanced, technologically speaking.

"They're going to crush us…" Gibbs pleaded once more.

"Didn't I tell you to shut it? Kindly?" Jack muttered while he looked on through his telescope.

Zoomed in on the Endeavor, Jack clearly saw the loading of cannons on the opposing ship. The sly Cutler Beckett, in command of his ship, simply smiled at Jack's worried look. Barbossa, who temporarily assumed second-in-command, did not need a telescope to decipher Jack's tentative expression. Still, it was too late now to back away from the Endeavor, as the Black Pearl was now within firing range.

But just when all seemed lost, as the Endeavor drew closer and closer, a ripple bubbled out from behind the Black Pearl. Drawing immediate awareness from both the crews of the Black Pearl plus the Endeavor, the sea suddenly split, sending torrents of seawater blasting into the air. Beneath it all was the Flying Dutchman, resurfacing after being submerged for only a few minutes.

As the three ships closed into one point from separate directions, faces could be identified without the help of telescopes. Jack and Barbossa stood at the helm, with Sora, Kairi, and Elizabeth leaning on the railings not far behind them. On the Endeavor, Beckett and his first officer casually stood at the bow of the ship, seemingly carefree. Then finally, all attention turned toward the Flying Dutchman…

"Ready the guns!" shouted a familiar, upbeat voice.

"Will," Sora gasped. "Steering the… Flying Dutchman…?"

"It's Will…!" Kairi exclaimed.

His new wife, Elizabeth, calmly smiled with incomparable bliss. Her grieving heart was lifted for the time being, seeing a breathing version of Will Turner once again.

"Full canvas!" Jack shouted with the same delighted excitement in his voice.

"Aye!" Barbossa followed, ecstatic as well. "Full canvas!"

_[The Dutchman must have a captain.]_

Those few words echoed through Sora's mind again. He understood what that pirate meant now. In place of Davy Jones, Will Turner became the new immortal captain of the Flying Dutchman. Regardless, the tides had turned again. Instead of facing off against a powerful foe like the Endeavor on its own, the Black Pearl had the Flying Dutchman on its side of battle.

Closing into one another, the Black Pearl and the Flying Dutchman sailed parallel to each other until the two pirate ships began to envelop the lonely Endeavor. The facial expression on Beckett changed dramatically when the lord met the eyes of both Jack Sparrow and Will Turner on his ship's port and starboard side, respectively.

"Orders, sir…?" the Endeavor's first officer inquired desperately. Not a breath was released from Beckett. The officer felt a deathly apprehension. "Sir?!"

"Captain," Gibbs whispered to Jack, eagerly awaiting a command.

"Fire," Jack whispered back.

"Fire!" Gibbs shouted for the rest of the crew to hear.

"Fire!" Will yelled from the helm of the Flying Dutchman.

With the orders given, the Black Pearl and the Flying Dutchman began their relentless battering of the Endeavor. Barrages of cannonballs were unleashed without end, quickly blasting the Endeavor to bits. By the time the Black Pearl and the Dutchman have stopped and passed by the once mighty ship, the only evidence that remained of the Endeavor were charred splinters and planks that dotted the ocean surface.

Sora swallowed hard as he witnessed the first overkill on his side of the war. The Endeavor stood no chance and never even retaliated. Yet, neither leader on the pirate ships showed any mercy. Sora wondered if Beckett deserved such a fate, even when he—like all their enemies—was never sympathetic. It was a conflicting feeling that dug far into Sora's heart. Whatever the outcome could have been, it was too late to change anything now. With no choice in the matter, Sora simply stood and watched.

Shortly after the massacre of the Endeavor, the Black Pearl and the Flying Dutchman remained stationed at sea. Will and Elizabeth looked across onto one another without any words. All were silent aboard the ships, aside from a few murmurs here and there.

"Who was that other pirate that helped us anyway?" Sora later asked Jack.

"It'd be William's old man, from what I've 'eard," Jack responded solemnly.

"His… father…?" Sora repeated in surprise.

"People do things just for their blasted families, I reckon," said Jack, flailing his arms in the air; his method of relieving stress.

"I think that's normal," Sora commented.

"Now both of 'em can stay on that ship forever," Jack mumbled back.

"What do you mean 'forever?' You seriously mean forever?" Sora asked with rapidness. "What about Elizabeth? What about all his friends here on the Black—"

"Slow down there, lad," Jack cut in. "By the way, we're acquaintances, not friends."

The sun was rising. The long series of battles from the previous night carried on until the breaking of dawn. Even though they emerged triumphant, for some reason the atmosphere remained fairly melancholy.

"The legend of the Deadman's Chest," Jack started to explain to Sora. "There's always to be a captain on that cursed ship. Ten years the captain must be out at sea. And for every ten years, 'e gets one day on land."

"That must be tough for Will," Sora sighed. He looked down from the helm to Elizabeth, who continued to gaze longingly at Will. "And Elizabeth, too."

Jack shrugged and left to join the rest of the crewmembers on the deck. Right away, he and several crewmembers prepared a small paddleboat for Elizabeth, bound for the Flying Dutchman. The final moments were due between Will and Elizabeth, as the two lovers inevitably must go in separate directions very soon. Sora remained where he was, staring out to sea at the rising sun. Later, Kairi made her way up and joined him at the helm. There the two of them leaned against the bow's railing and silently watched the sun rise further and further into the clear morning sky.

After all the clouds disappeared and the blue sky revealed itself once more, a small dot became visible in the horizon. The easily recognizable Celsius hovered about, its thrusters sparkling in the empty sky.

"Wonder where they've been all this time?" said Kairi, her eyes following the silhouette of the Gummi ship.

"Who knows," Sora responded. "Probably didn't want to meddle too much in pirate matters."

"Speaking of pirates, I think I've had enough sailing for a while," Kairi groaned, stretching her arms out over the railings. "I've never wanted to be back on dry land so badly before."

"Hopefully we'll be on land for our next destination," said Sora, who started to wave the Celsius over to the Black Pearl.

Kairi nodded in agreement. Once the Celsius gently landed—just barely touching the surface of the water—Sora and Kairi proceeded to board. The foreign object drew astonished expressions and words from the Black Pearl's crew, as well as those on the deck of the nearby Flying Dutchman. The only ones who found nothing out of the ordinary were Will, Jack, and Elizabeth. Barbossa showed some interest, but figured it was yet another oddity brought about by Sora and his companions.

Sora and Kairi said their goodbyes once more to the pirates. Silently sending them off, the newly anointed Captain William Turner of the Flying Dutchman figured it may be the last time that he will ever see the young warriors. Elizabeth gently held onto her husband's arm and also bid farewell to Sora and Kairi. While the Gummi ship accelerated for the final takeoff, Jack grinned amusedly and finally offered his goodbyes.

With the world of pirates cleared of impending doom of Heartless and horrific rogues, Sora and Kairi reported back to King Mickey, who was busy maintaining the cockpit of the Celsius. Donald and Goofy were rooted in their usual stations, but the two of them were engrossed in what sounded like a distress call.

"What's going on?" Sora asked aloud.

For a moment, there was only static that came out from the radio speakers. Occasionally, there were garbled words, but they were still completely unintelligible.

"Do you know where it's coming from?" Kairi asked.

"Oh, we know," Donald answered her. "And we know who's it from, too."

"How can you tell from that?" Sora asked in wonder.

Donald pointed his feathered index finger to one of the panels above the main navigation screen. The panel was fuzzy with static, but Sora squinted in attempt to decipher the words… or rather, letters. C. And then I. And then a D followed.

"Cid?" Sora read. "Cid! How is he? Is the Radiant Garden in trouble again?"

"The Radiant Garden's fine," Mickey replied while steering the Gummi ship into the void. "But his—and the others—their home world's not."

"Their… home world…?" Kairi repeated in curiosity.

"When you guys went back to Destiny Islands, me, Donald, and Goofy went to Midgar," Mickey explained. "All of 'em. Cid, Yuffie, Cloud, Aerith, Tifa… all those guys came from the city of Midgar."

"There was a bunch of Heartless runnin' around," Goofy added. "But we got 'em!"

"His Majesty sealed the keyhole there and we thought everything's gonna be fine," Donald clarified. "But there's more trouble there now!"

"Well, then let's go!" Sora exclaimed. "They're our friends, aren't they? So we should go and help them right away!"

"I agree with Sora," Kairi added. "Whatever's going on there, I think we can handle it."

Donald and Goofy, all in support of Sora's idea, looked over to Mickey, awaiting approval. Wordlessly, Mickey continued to pilot the Celsius on a straight path through the void. The king glanced back at the rest of the party for a split second and just chuckled, much to everyone's confusion.

"No need to ask me for permission, Donald, old friend," said Mickey. "You're navigatin' us, so set course to Midgar!"

"Roger that, your Majesty!" Donald called out enthusiastically as he punched in numbers and coordinates on the ship's navigation board.

"Wonder if everyone's okay?" Sora whispered to himself as he sank into his chair.

Kairi overheard and noted Sora's anxious facial expression. She was equally concerned, but she was honest when she said they could handle whatever was endangering Midgar.

"You know them better than I do," Kairi said to Sora. "So ask yourself if you think they can hold on until we get there."

"Well…" Sora answered, improvising a response. "Yeah, I bet they can. You're right, Kairi."

"See?" Kairi giggled. "No use worrying, right?"

"Right. No worries," Sora repeated. "Oh, and Kairi…"

"Hmm?"

"At least it's dry land."


	77. Tremor on the Edge

**Chapter LXXVII:**

"Who's using my material?!" a giddy Yuffie exclaimed as she landed at the edge of Midgar.

Often prone to airsickness, Yuffie decided to make a sparkling opening instead of something more conventional. Just slightly dizzy and nauseous, the young ninja turned to her friends for information. Already in the field of battle were Barret, Red XIII—a highly intelligent beast that resembled a giant red dog—and Cait Sith, a robotic feline that rode on top of him. Tifa, relieved to see the coming aid of her trustworthy friends, was the only one who remained unoccupied.

"The bad buys, obviously," she pointed out, referring to an enormous armored dragon that had suddenly appeared prior to Yuffie's entrance.

It was Bahamut SIN, a summoned creature that was mysteriously called upon to wreak havoc on the impoverished sector of Edge in Midgar. For the warriors that were currently present, this behemoth was known to be the king of all dragons. For such a fierce entity to suddenly appear, it was clear that something abnormal—and wicked—was happening.

"Damn!" Yuffie swore before she twirled her signature, oversized shuriken around and charged in the direction of Bahamut.

Denzel, the young boy who Tifa and Cloud were taking care of, looked on in wonder. Being around Cloud and the rest of the group tended to bring about oddities on a regular basis, thus Denzel was not in panic, in comparison to virtually all of Edge's civilians. Barret and Yuffie held off Bahamut for the time being, but it did not require any analytical abilities to tell that it was going to be a losing battle.

"Yo!" a voice called from above, diverting Tifa and Denzel's attention.

Cid, the one who sent out the distress call to the Celsius, hopped off of his prized ship, the Shera, and made a smooth landing in front of Tifa.

"If you guys want a ride later, just let me know!" the gruff man declared before jogging into the fray.

Again, Denzel looked on in wonder as every member besides Tifa had already leapt into the fight. Still, it seemed like Bahamut was only being irritated, with no real damage being done to the beast. But then again, the stream of rallying comrades had not ceased yet.

"Where's the phone shop…?" Vincent blurted out randomly as he unexpectedly strolled past Tifa and Denzel.

"Who's he?" Denzel asked Tifa as soon as gloomy, caped man was out of earshot.

"They're all friends," Tifa responded. The martial arts master examined the surroundings momentarily. "Denzel. Think you can run all the way back to the shop?"

"Sure!" the boy answered with a wholehearted nod.

Tifa led the way, as the two of them made their trek away from the chaos. The square was a mess, with bodies of victims struggling to get back on their feet. Bahamut's wild assaults were not the only obstacles. There were other summoned creatures that remained rampant in the city. The agile Shadow Creepers—quadruped beasts with armored plating—spontaneously attacked innocent bystanders and swarmed the alleys of Edge.

Just because there were thousands of civilians scattered throughout the edge of Midgar, attacks against Tifa and Denzel were not ruled out. Before the two of them could cover any distance, they became the targets for several Shadow Creepers. Relying on her unparalleled reflexes, Tifa shielded Denzel and steadied herself.

"Give it a rest!" Tifa shouted, wasting no time in delivering a potent roundhouse kick to a charging Shadow Creeper.

However, even though the creepers tended to be easily manipulated and repelled, their unique abilities allowed them to fade into the shadows and reemerge before they could be defeated. Such was the case for the Shadow Creeper that Tifa knocked away. As soon as she handled one, it faded away, allowing three more to ambush the exposed woman.

"Tifa!" Denzel called out in alarm.

Still in control of her situation, Tifa wrestled her way out of the three rabid creatures' clutches and swiftly kicked each one away from her. But then again, just like before, the creepers faded away, this time only to reappear next to Denzel.

"Denzel!" Tifa gasped.

Before she could react and aid the young boy, a sinister growl echoed from far off. With only seconds to act in response, Tifa spun out of the way as Bahamut released a concentrated ball of pure energy in her direction. Unfortunately, there was no way to completely evade such a devastating attack at close range. The energy ball completely decimated a construction site behind Tifa, sending molten chunks of metal, wood, shrapnel, and other fragmented rubble scattering in all directions. The impact knocked Tifa straight to the ground, with giant chunks of debris plummeting down toward her.

Denzel ducked down as the Shadow Creepers lunged toward him. It seemed hopeless, as the stunned Tifa was unable to get out of the way of the falling debris and Denzel was unable to escape the violent creatures. Claws reached closer, gnashing teeth drew nearer, and at blazing speed, a colossal sword cleaved across. Coming out of his huddle, Denzel caught sight of the giant broadswords that sliced cleanly through the Shadow Creepers. That meant only one thing.

"Cloud!" Denzel exclaimed in glee as the headlights of Fenrir glimmered from down the alleyways.

In mere seconds, the blonde warrior skidded over on his motorbike, gathered the great swords that he flung at Denzel's attackers, and quickly checked on the boy's safety. And without another moment's notice, Cloud accelerated at maximum speed to where Tifa was still in vulnerability. Concrete and metal debris continued to dive in Tifa's direction, but Cloud readied himself to cut down or deflect anything that was poised to be of danger. Displaying masterful maneuverability and elegance, Cloud grabbed hold of Tifa and allowed her to swing over behind him, all while evading the ensuing destruction.

"Sorry for being late," Cloud quietly apologized immediately after the two of them escaped the tight situation.

"No, it's fine," Tifa answered almost immediately, gripping Cloud's shoulder for support.

As soon as they stopped, Tifa hopped off the motorbike and rushed over to Denzel, with Cloud looking on towards the raging Bahamut.

"Are you okay?" Tifa asked Denzel.

"Yeah," the boy replied.

"I left Marlene at the shop," Cloud reported to Tifa. "She's safe."

"Okay," Tifa replied and nodded with approval.

"I feel lighter," Cloud added out of the blue.

"Hmm?"

"I kept dragging my burden along, so maybe it's worn down some."

Tifa sighed in relief. After a year of brooding, Cloud finally seemed to have opened up recently. Even if it was just a little, it was a start. His fight with the insidious Sephiroth seemed to have ended, along with the fight within his own heart. From her perspective, Tifa could finally see the light that shone in Cloud's eyes. No longer did the darkness seem to plague him.

"I'm going back alone. I'll be waiting with Marlene," Denzel informed Cloud and Tifa. He then turned and looked solely at Cloud. "Cloud, you'll come back too, right?"

The young boy's idol showed a slight grin and responded with a strong nod. In high spirits, the cheerful Denzel smiled back and hurried back en route to the bar. After seeing off the boy, Tifa hopped back behind Cloud as the two of them raced off to join their allies in battling the ferocious Bahamut.

Meanwhile, Denzel's trip back home was not going to be an easy one. Aside from having to navigate around frenzied, terrified civilians—none of who knew their lefts from their rights—Shadow Creepers still loomed within the murky shadows. Not knowing when or where the beasts could show up, Denzel had to remain vigilant at all times.

_Just a few more blocks,_ Denzel constantly reminded himself. As long as he could find his way indoors, Denzel knew he would be well protected there.

But behind him, sudden screams of horror formed goosebumps along his arms. The screams were followed by the familiar snarls of the Shadow Creepers, which were then followed by screams of neighboring bystanders.

In panic, Denzel lost his footing and toppled over within the fleeing crowd. As if begging to be targeted, the boy could only watch in fear as one of the Shadow Creepers charged towards him.

"Hang on!" a voice shouted nearby.

"…Cloud?" Denzel gasped as he saw a silhouette with spiky hair emerge from the alleyway.

A powerful gush of water blasted out and struck the rampaging Shadow Creeper directly in the chest, easily putting the creature out of commission. Denzel pushed himself back on his feet and called out to his supposed rescuer.

"Cloud, is that you?"

"Um, no," the voice answered. "The name's Sora."

Sora emerged with his Keyblade slung over his shoulder. Kairi followed closely behind him, patting down her skirt, which was somewhat drenched in water.

"Come on, you didn't have to use that much power, Sora," Kairi started to protest. "What's the point of coming on dry land when you're just going to get wet again?!"

"Sorry 'bout that," Sora chirped in a singsong tone.

"Weird, I've never seen anyone else with spiky hair like that before…" Denzel mumbled to himself.

"You know, Tifa said something like that to me before when I first met her," Sora said aside to Kairi. "When she was looking for—"

"Wait, you know Tifa?" Denzel asked in surprise. "And Cloud, too?"

"Yeah," Sora answered, somewhat curious with this boy he was talking to. "We go way back. And what about you?"

"I… live with him…" Denzel responded hesitantly. "He takes care of me. And Tifa, too."

"Wha—" Sora sputtered. A sudden insight temporarily stunned him. _This can't be their kid, can it?!_

Sora scratched his head and wondered. This boy had to be no more than ten years in age. If Cloud and Tifa were only a few years older than Kairi and him—Sora was puzzled, but he had his doubts.

"Wait, you're not… Cloud's not your… is he?"

"They do look alike…" Kairi pointed out, understanding where Sora was heading to. "Well, actually, he looks more like you, if anything…"

"What are you talking about?" Denzel asked, oblivious to the implication of the questions.

"Never mind, there's no way," Sora whispered to Kairi.

"I agree," she whispered back. "Maybe they adopted him?"

"What are you whispering about?" Denzel asked impatiently, distraught at being caught in the middle of a confusing conversation. "What's going on here?"

"Anyway!" Sora exclaimed, attempting to change the subject. "I said it before, my name's Sora. Nice to meet you! Uh…"

"And I'm Kairi," Kairi continued, she reached a hand out to Denzel. "And what's yours?"

"Denzel…" the boy answered, slowly reaching out and eventually giving Kairi a handshake.

"Hey, Denzel," said Sora. "Me and Kairi are actually here to help. Seeing that thing attacked you before, do you know if something's happening around here?"

Denzel began to trust Sora and Kairi a bit more now, since it seemed to him that the two Keyblade-wielders were honest characters. He pointed towards the town square, several blocks in the opposite direction. The echoing roar of Bahamut periodically reached Sora and Kairi's ears.

"That does sound like trouble," Kairi admitted.

"_Big _trouble," Denzel corrected.

Sora twirled his Oblivion around and pointed the blade in the direction of the monstrous roar.

"Then that's where we're going," Sora declared. He turned to face Denzel, who was idly admiring Sora's swordplay. "Stay safe, Denzel. Nice meeting you!"

Though he had several questions in mind for Sora and Kairi, Denzel nodded and resumed his journey back to the bar. As for two warriors, they tightly gripped their respective Keyblades with confidence while they jogged down the now empty streets of Edge toward the town square. As they approached their destination, Bahamut's bellows boomed with greater intensity. The sounds of gunfire and explosions could be heard, as well.

Above their heads, the Celsius hovered at a constant speed. Sora waved his hand forward, signaling Mickey to head off first. The Gummi ship hastened to the epicenter of the chaos, with Sora and Kairi tagging along closely behind.

High above all the commotion, three silver-haired men in black cloaks stood watch, soaking in the fear and anxiety that enveloped all of Midgar for their entertainment.


	78. Advent of a Fantasy

**Chapter LXXVIII:**

Sora recalled his fights against unrealistically oversized Heartless in the past, and never once did he dream about going through such experiences again. By the time Sora and Kairi made their way back to the center of town, all they could see were a monstrous dragon wreaking havoc with numerous men, women, and creatures alike defending their territory in a frenzy of battle.

Higher in the sky, alongside Bahamut, were Vincent, Cid, Yuffie, and Cait Sith on Red XIII, performing arrays of acrobatics. Each struck with all their might and dodged potentially life-threatening attacks. Still, nothing seemed to wear Bahamut down. Lower on the battlefield were Cloud, Tifa, and Barret. And further off, Aerith made her appearance, lending a crucial hand in healing and replenishing the energies of her allies.

While the Shera hovered on autopilot far from the dangerous battlefield, the Celsius cruised onto the scene, unleashing a barrage of advanced weaponry upon Bahamut. Surely it irritated the beast, but it was not quite enough to end the fight. On cue, Sora and Kairi dashed into the fray, hoping their contributions can turn the tide.

"Don't go over your heads," Cloud solemnly warned. He slung his huge broadsword over his shoulder with ease. "We need everyone to watch each others' backs."

With those words, he nodded to Tifa, and the two of them went on to join their comrades in the wild aerial battle. The gruff and muscle-bound Barret glanced at the two Keyblade-wielders before cocking his gatling gun arm.

"So we meet again, eh?" the big man greeted. "We could sure use the help. Don't wanna see this town done in before my little girl gets to schoolin'!"

Following the rest of his team, Barret scaled the mangled construction beams and planted his bulky framed on high ground. From there, he relentlessly fired off rounds of lead at the rampaging dragon. A moment is taken to reload and recharge, but only to be followed by the same endless barrage of bullets.

"Shall we?" Sora declared to Kairi.

"Of course," Kairi responded with an eager grin.

Navigating through the jungle of wood and steel, Sora and Kairi proceeded to join the other warriors in combat. There was not a single moment to recuperate when the fighting involved going head-to-head against Bahamut. As soon as Sora found his balance and steadied himself, a raging bolt of energy hurtled towards him from the cavernous jaws of the dragon king. Leaping away, he eluded the blast by merely a hair's length.

There were very few chances for attacks, but whenever the opportunities showed up, Sora was certain to make use of them. Whether it was a powerful vertical bash to the dragon's head or a concentrated bolt of lightning, Sora made sure his attacks landed. He could not tell if they were effective though, since Bahamut remained airborne without losing much of a beat. Then again, the young warrior was not alone; there were many others fighting alongside him.

Slowly, but surely, Bahamut was weakening with the continuous attacks that successfully landed. Much like many beasts, once it was cornered, it grew all the more vicious. Knowing this, Sora heightened his awareness for erratic dangers.

Simultaneously, he could not help but look out for Kairi. In the instant that Bahamut made a charge for the girl, Sora dove headfirst to take her to safety. This was much to Kairi's chagrin, since she was fully capable of handling most deadly situations by now. Thus, Kairi rewarded Sora with a slightly vexed pout before she made her way to higher ground.

"Can't help but protect those who are important to ya," said Cid, nudging Sora on the arm.

"Uh, yeah," Sora answered meekly.

"See him there?" said Cid, pointing up into the sky, far beyond the crumbling construction site.

Sora looked to where Cid was pointing to. It was high in the sky, where the beastly dragon had taken off to. The silhouette of Bahamut was easily identifiable, but a small speck appeared near the dragon's head. Persistently, it pounded relentlessly on the monster's head, signified by the brilliant sparks that flashed with every blow.

"He's workin' hard to protect those important to him, too," Cid continued, shading his eyes from the periodic bursts of light.

"Cloud, huh?" Sora noted to himself.

"And there," said Cid, pointing to the other members of his party. He moved his index finger from Barret, to Yuffie, and to Tifa. "They all have important ones to protect."

"What about you, Cid?" Sora asked. "Do you have someone or something important to protect, too?"

"Ehh, dang," Cid muttered as he scratched his back with his wooden staff. "Of course, I do. Hell, I named my ship after her!"

It was obviously an awkward topic for the tough, dirt-mouthed Cid to be discussing. With a brief farewell, Cid joined the others higher up and watched Cloud deliver the final blows to the terrifying Bahamut.

Kairi shortly joined Sora as a member of the audience, marveling at Cloud's extraordinary abilities. The weakened Bahamut was eventually overtaken the mighty swings of Cloud's swords. It was a grand sight; a blaze of fiery blue enveloped the colossal creature as Bahamut slowly plummeted down from the sky, gradually fading into oblivion. In a series of acrobatics, Cloud landed gracefully on the construction beams and gave all his comrades a nod of approval.

"Team effort!" Yuffie cheered from a distance.

"Bravo!" a shrill, but sinister voice called out. "This is fun, my friends!"

All heads turned. From a building further away, three silver-haired men in black cloaks stood watch. One had a hand, radiating with enigmatic energies, stretched out towards the party's location.

"What should I summon next?" the mystery man added.

"Nobodies?" Sora remarked in a hushed voice, noting the similarities in clothing style.

Cloud was the first to react while everyone else stood speechless in the presence of the newcomers. With a distasteful scoff, the blonde warrior launched himself towards the cloaked figures, prompting their quick dispersion. The three men leapt onto their respective motorbikes and raced off, leaving Cloud in the dust.

"Cloud, wait!" Sora called out.

Hopping onboard his motorbike, Cloud sped off without a word in pursuit of the silver-haired men. Sora made a move to follow, but was held down by the metallic claws of Vincent.

"Let him be," the grim man murmured.

"Where is he going…?" Kairi wondered out loud.

"Aren't you guys gonna follow him?" Sora asked.

"Oh, we'll follow him," said Cid, gesturing to the sky.

The Shera, along with the Celsius, hovered above in preparations. In all the commotion, Sora and Kairi both forgot that the airships were there. The mechanical churning of the engines echoed through the barren construction sites as the ships slowly descended.

"Hop aboard, you two!" Mickey called out to Sora and Kairi from the Celsius' cockpit.

"Lead the way, King Mickey!" Cid shouted out as he climbed his way onto the Shera.

Only Sora and Kairi boarded the Celsius. Tifa, Aerith, and the other warriors joined Cid's colossal airship. From their present location, it was hard to tell where Cloud and the three mysterious men have already disappeared to. The area was only so big, though, and thus the situation was not too problematic, especially to those who were familiar with the surroundings.

Onboard the Celsius, Sora and Kairi flopped into their seats with little words. The fight with Bahamut did not seem all too arduous, despite the occasional scares. Sora wondered if that was the only reason for the distress call. Kairi thought the same, and she was the first to lay out the question.

"Was that thing… the reason we were called?" Kairi asked.

"Mhm," Mickey responded shortly. "But you saw those folks in black before, right? Looks like there's some more investigatin' to be done here before we leave."

"They looked like members from Organization XIII…" Sora mumbled. "You don't think there are more of them, do you?"

"I dunno, Sora," said Mickey. "Ever since those two, Sarlix and Xymgrel, popped up, I think anything's possible."

"You just take 'em out like you did before, Sora!" Goofy exclaimed.

"I second that!" Donald added enthusiastically. "We'll be right behind ya—"

"Ah, thanks, you guys. But let's figure out where those three and Cloud are going first," said Sora. "It seems that Cloud knows something when he charged right after them."

"You think it's a trap?" Kairi wondered cautiously.

"Who knows?" Sora responded, slumping into his chair. "Whatever it is, we'll see."

"You guys comin' along?" a familiar voice in a transmission reported.

"Aye, aye, Cid!" Mickey answered eagerly as he pushed forward the acceleration gears.

Soon, both aircrafts blasted into the horizon, following Cloud's potential trail. At a higher altitude, the entirety of Midgar could be seen. Once one of the most technologically advanced regions in existence, the city was now only a hollow shell of its former glory. All that was left due to prior cataclysmic events revolving around the Heartless and the destructive powers of darkness were uninhabitable ruins. Nonetheless, to Cloud and the others, the city became their home and the small expansion of Edge was built on the outskirts of the ruins.

Sora was unfamiliar with the environment; therefore the only things he could see were abandoned construction sites in addition to active ones. But he imagined the possibility of his own home in ruins. The thoughts gave Sora the additional willpower he constantly sought to retain in this war against darkness. But on a different note, Sora wished to empathize with the denizens of the city.

"There!" Yuffie's voice suddenly cut through in a transmission from the Shera.

This prompted Sora and Kairi to immediately look out the windows, scanning for a sign of Cloud. Descending towards the highway and transportation systems, the Celsius and the Shera suddenly were suddenly lined with speeding motorbikes that fired off into a sheltered tunnel. Before the vehicles disappeared into the shadows, a glimpse of Cloud's striking blonde hair was caught.

The tunnel was far too narrow for the ships to enter. With no way to support their comrade, the members agreed to travel further and perhaps meet Cloud at another location.

"We oughta wait outside the tunnel then," Barret suggested. "Get him some backup when he comes out."

"I agree," said Kairi. "There were two others close behind him. That means one of those men went somewhere else."

"He's the one Cloud is pursuing," Vincent explained. "Though, yes, he is missing right now."

"He's on the run," Red XIII added. "Don't worry, with us around, there's no chance Cloud can get ambushed from here."

"Let me down," said Sora. "I'll wait for him by the tunnel."

"I don't think you should try that, Sora," Yuffie advised. "I think we know the guy pretty well. You might just get in his way!"

"But—"

"Sounds like him," said Aerith.

"And I'll attest to that," Tifa added.

"But, I—"

"The ladies have spoken!" Cid roared out with laughter.

"Eh, I don't really get it, but I think I'll say stay put, too," Barret mumbled. "Hey, you there, kid?"

"Yeah," Sora answered, leaning closer to the intercom station.

"If you really wanna do that, just jump off," Cid suggested. "Worst comes to worst, Cloud ditches ya and you hop back aboard your ship!"

Sora shrugged. He was set on finding out who the mysterious men were. After a moment of fruitless thought, Sora made his way to an emergency exit and propped open the door. On cue, Kairi immediately protested.

"Sora!" she called out.

"Just stay here for now," said Sora. "It's okay, I just want to get a closer look at those guys from before."

Before Kairi had a chance to persuade Sora to stay, the Keyblade master dropped his feet outside the Gummi ship and slid out. Ducking into a roll before landing on the concrete road, Sora made a safe landing. Had it not been for Kairi's ineptness with heights, she would have easily followed. Instead, the girl made no move to jump, signaling the two airship's climb to higher altitudes.

Sora waited in the middle of the road, keeping his eyes peeled for signs of speeding motorbikes. There were no other vehicles entering or exiting the tunnel. For Sora, this was a sign that the pathways here were abandoned. Similarly, some of the rundown surroundings proved to be true, though there were some buildings in the nearby slums that did house civilians.

The sound of engines increasing in volume diverted Sora's attention from analyzing the immediate vicinities. Before he could properly identify who was approaching, he was yanked off the ground and tossed onto the back of a motorbike. Dazed from the sudden shock, Sora shook his head and recognized the backside of Cloud.

"What on earth were you doing in the middle of the road?" he asked.

"Waiting for you to show, I guess?" Sora responded slowly.

"Where are the others?" Cloud asked.

"Above us… and what about the people you were chasing?"

"I'm only after one of them," said Cloud. "I dealt with the other two. They shouldn't be too far behind."

Sora could not help but glance over his shoulder. They were already probably hundreds of feet from the tunnel's exit, but Cloud was right. In a moment, two of the silver-haired men appeared from the darkness, though one of them lost a motorbike and had to rely on the other.

Above, the Celsius and the Shera were on standby. Upon seeing the departure of Cloud and Sora and the emergence of the two enigmatic men, the two airships launched barrages of rockets and destroyed a portion of the highway, effectively cutting off the chase route and allowing Cloud and Sora to race away without interruptions.

"Hey, Kairi," said Yuffie over the intercom. "How come you didn't go along?"

"Um, I, uh…" Kairi began stuttering. _It's kind of embarrassing._

"Hey, don't tell me you're afraid of heights, young lady!" the voice of Cait Sith sounded.

"No way!" Kairi immediately denied. "Sora's like that, too. If I go, I might also get in his way."

"It's okay," Aerith said reassuringly. "Yuffie's bad with the sky, as well."

"I'm not! I just get a little sick sometimes!" the young ninja protested. "Ahem, anyway! Shouldn't we be helping Sora and Cloud now?"

"Yeah, let's get a move on, Cid!" Barret commanded.

"Ah, shut up, backseat pilots ain't welcome," Cid snapped in response.

They headed off towards the center of Midgar, towards the derelict ward of old skyscrapers and monuments. Further ahead, the motorbike that Cloud manned with Sora was closing in on another figure: the last of the three cloaked men.

"Let me off when we get there," Kairi requested to Mickey. "I don't have a very good feeling about this."

"That makes two of us, Kairi," the king answered. "Stay safe, though."


	79. A Conversation Between Sky and Cloud

**Chapter LXXIX:**

_["Don't run from it. Let's fight together!"  
_"_Let's help each other out, and try our best!"  
"Drag, drag… drag, drag…"  
"Don't run away!"  
"Maybe something will happen that can never be undone. That's what you're afraid of, right?"  
_"_But you need to accept what's going on right now!"  
"Is it hard? Well, of course it's going to be hard."  
"You don't like being alone, do you? You don't answer the phone, but you won't throw it away either!"  
"Have we… lost to our memories…?"]_

"Cloud!"

The motor continued to run and the bike continued to accelerate. At one point, it seemed like they were flying instead of speeding down a highway. Despite his efforts, Sora was unable to shake Cloud out of his semi-comatose state.

"Cloud!" he called out again.

"Ugh," the mighty warrior finally grunted in response. He sifted through his spiky hair with his fingers and took a deep breath. "Sorry, Sora. Were you saying something?"

"Are you okay, Cloud?" Sora asked. "The bike was leaning from one side of the road to another."

Cloud glanced around, left and right, and realized he was somewhat straying off the path. He eased into the center of the road and manually shifted the motorbike to a more stable cruising speed.

"Oh," Cloud murmured. "Ugh, sorry. I got distracted for a bit. I'm fine now, though."

"It's alright, Cloud," said Sora. "I've felt pretty out of it recently, too."

"Heh, really?" Cloud responded, letting out a rare chuckle. "Someone like you who's always on the move can get distracted?"

"Nah," said Sora. "Well, I guess a lot of things have been on my mind."

"Mm, I can relate."

"Like what?"

"You go first," said Cloud, half-jokingly. "I'm no good with words."

"Well, I dunno how to start, really," Sora groaned. "I guess it has to do with a lot of things that's happened since I left home. Stuff I saw and stuff that… you know."

"If it helps," Cloud said quietly after a brief silence. "I've had my share of issues, as well."

"Anything to do with Sephiroth?" Sora blurted out.

"I—huh, some things, definitely," Cloud responded hesitantly. "But mostly with things back home. With—"

The blonde warrior continued to pause, uncertain with his words. Sora had a difficult time reading Cloud's intentions and was unable to even add his own questions.

"Me and Kairi met a kid named Denzel on our way to you and everyone else earlier," Sora reported. "It's funny. He actually thought I was you."

"Denzel, hmm," Cloud repeated, chuckling again. "He's a good kid."

"You and Tifa take care of him?"

"You're right," said Cloud. "Denzel told you that?"

"Yeah," Sora answered. He gracelessly cleared his throat. "Um, Cloud, he's not your, uh—and Tifa—um, how should I put this?"

Cloud glanced over his shoulder and raised an eyebrow in question.

"S-sorry!" Sora sputtered. "Forget what I was saying. Seriously, forget it."

"Interesting question…" said Cloud, shifting his eyes back to the road. "If you think about it, Sora, neither Tifa nor I am that much older than you. It's unlikely… if that's what you're asking."

"Ahh, forget it!" Sora loudly declared.

Sora fervently shook his head, as if attempting to remove any further bits of absurdity that remained in his mind. An awkward silence followed between the two warriors, with only the long line of pavement visible beyond them and the whirring of the motorbike's engines audible in their ears.

"Denzel," Cloud suddenly started to say. "Tifa and I are taking care of him. And Marlene… Barret's daughter… we're taking care of her while Barret's working—and Tifa…"

"Is Tifa the one that's troubling you?" Sora asked. He wondered if he even had any right to ask. "Er, I probably shouldn't ask."

"Don't worry about it," Cloud said solemnly. "You're partially right. Well, I wouldn't say she's troubling me. But she has been on my mind."

"Hmm," Sora remarked, nodding his head. "I see, I see."

"And I'd assume you're going through something similar then?" Cloud pointed out.

"Hey, now, Cloud," Sora started. "Let's not jump to conclusions here!"

"I see," said Cloud. "Kairi, was it? That's fitting."

"W-w-wait!" Sora stammered. "I never—oh, who am I kidding? I'll admit it. You're right, Cloud. But I guess that makes us the same then."

"Thinking of her a lot?"

"Definitely."

"And you want to protect her?"

"Whatever it takes."

"How long have you known her?"

"Since we were little kids," said Sora. "We've always been hanging out."

"I guess we are the same, aren't we?" Cloud said, exhaling quietly.

"Um… really?"

"Did you know?" Cloud began. "Tifa and I have known each other since we were kids, too. Back in a little town far away from here."

"Whoa," Sora whispered.

"It's just that… I feel I haven't been able to be there for her as much as I think I should," Cloud explained. "I may have hurt her, hurt Denzel, Marlene, everyone around us. All because I kept running. Hiding. Avoiding everything."

Sora forced himself into silence as he listened to Cloud's inner thoughts. Ever since he met the powerful fighter, Sora never witnessed Cloud show any discernable signs of emotions. But here he was, sitting behind this established warrior, entering his conflicted world.

"I suppose the entire time I was hunting down Sephiroth… Tifa wanted to protect me," Cloud continued. "I should have seen her, at least before I finished off Sephiroth. She provided me with the light that saved me from the darkness."

"What about now?" Sora inquired. "Do you still have that light?"

"Without a doubt," Cloud answered contentedly. "Though I feel guilty about the past, I understand there is no reason to dwell on it. What I can do is make up for lost time. I've committed my sins. But regardless, I must accept where we are in present time."

"You really care about her, huh?" Sora joked, nudging Cloud in the back.

Cloud glanced over his shoulder again and smirked at Sora.

"I'd ask the same for you," he countered.

"And right away I'd answer, 'of course!' Like I said, whatever it takes," Sora responded. "I think if you think of it that way, it'll make protecting everyone an easier job. Why not just forgive yourself?"

"You think sins can be forgiven?" Cloud asked.

"…I've never tried," Sora admitted.

"Try? Try…" Cloud reiterated to himself, pushing himself into deep thought. "Hmm, I will try."

"Got any ideas to start with?" Sora questioned. "Once you go back to everyone."

"Who knows?" Cloud sighed. "Maybe I'll ask Tifa to close the bar for a day and I can take a day off for myself. I can ask someone to temporarily take care of Denzel and Marlene…"

"Sounds like a plan," said Sora. "Maybe have Yuffie do the babysitting?"

"No chance in hell," Cloud responded almost instantaneously. "I'd put Barret or Aerith at the top of the list. Yuffie, Cid, and Vincent can go all the way in the bottom."

It was an uncommon sight. Sora and Cloud shared a hearty laugh together while speeding down an abandoned highway, still in hot pursuit of the mysterious silver-haired man. It was a short-lived carefree moment, but one nonetheless. Before long, the two warriors recovered their focus and discussed their objectives for the imminent confrontation.

The time was nearing and the sun was setting. In an isolated district, equally ruined and desolate, Sora and Cloud slid off the motorbike and stood their ground. Cloud retrieved his signature Buster Sword from the bike's storage and Sora summoned the Oblivion into his hands. High in the sky, the Celsius and the Shera slowed to a halt and hovered above the gathering clouds.


	80. The One Winged Angel

**Chapter LXXX:**

The mysterious man finally uncovered his head, revealing elegant, shoulder-length silver hair that glistened in the setting sun. His eyes were cat-like and gave off a sense of hostility. He clenched his left fist, which glowed with energy.

"What's going to happen next?" asked Cloud.

Sora alternated looks to Cloud and the silver-haired man. It was apparent that the two knew each other, at least to some extent. All the mysterious man did was keep his smug expression, as if mocking Cloud.

"You Nobodies know nothing, huh?" Cloud mumbled.

Only somewhat surprised, Sora sent a questioning look towards his comrade.

"Cloud," Sora whispered. "Who—"

* * *

As she declared earlier, Kairi made a move to exit the Celsius when they reached Sora and Cloud's destination. But even though Mickey allowed for her departure, some members aboard the Shera had other ideas. Right when Kairi touched the ground, Tifa leapt off the Shera, grabbed Kairi from behind, and brought her onto the ship. Of course, the Keyblade-wielder protested, but was momentarily hushed by Tifa.

"Let's not rush into anything," Tifa reasoned.

"Who is he…?" Kairi asked about the mysterious man.

For the moment, there was too much commotion on the Shera's deck. Some were confused, some were anxious. And like Kairi, Barret wished to lend some aid.

"Yo, Cid! Hurry up and land!" the big man ordered.

"Shut up! Just jump," Cid snapped. "Jump!"

"Hold on," Vincent interrupted.

All heads turned to the caped man, who was calmly leaning by Cid's helm. For some reason, it seemed as if the melancholy warrior always had the information.

"That man, Kadaj… he is Sephiroth's remnant," he continued. He then grunted to himself. "In our terms now, he's a Nobody, so to speak…"

"So he might eventually become Sephiroth, right?" Cid asked.

"Hey, do Cloud and Sora know about this?" Tifa asked.

"Most likely," Vincent answered. He paused for a moment and uncrossed his arms. "Let them fight alone."

"I see," Tifa said quietly. "Okay, let's leave them alone."

"I don't get it!" Yuffie complained. "Explain it to me!"

"It's okay, I don't get it either," Kairi added.

"It's a man thing," Cid joked.

"Sexual discrimination! Discrimination!" Yuffie exclaimed.

"Missy!" Cait Sith grumbled. "Quiet down!"

"Some men don't understand either," Barret admitted.

Tifa walked over to Yuffie and Kairi and continued to look out the window at Cloud and Sora. The two of them had engaged Kadaj in a frenzy of swordplay on top of an abandoned building.

"Two years ago," Tifa started. "When our world ended, we had such a strong will in the final battle… Even though we lost, that feeling was there.

"And even though it's only been two years, somehow that strength has slipped away. But Sora's always had that power within him. And now I think Cloud has found it again."

"Bah!" Barret scoffed. "I'll give them ten minutes."

"Cloud's such a pain in the ass as ever," Yuffie sighed, looking to Tifa and Aerith.

"He's only being honest," Aerith smiled, shrugging innocently.

"And he's just straightforward," Tifa said with a grin.

"Don't mind me askin', but why is Sora there?" Yuffie added, this time looking at Kairi. "Is he trying to be a pain, as well?"

"I think he's just being straightforward, too," Kairi giggled.

* * *

The Shera suddenly took off from its hovering position and soared away into the sky, leaving Sora and Cloud to deal with Kadaj, Sephiroth's Nobody. The turn of events put a smile on both the warriors' faces, knowing well that there was pride, reparation, and glory to be found in this battle.

For Cloud, it seemed as if his last duel with Sephiroth had never concluded. Now he was fighting his past demons again, perhaps with this one last try to extinguish them forever.

_[He is Sephiroth's Nobody.]_

That was what Cloud said to Sora when the young Keyblade-wielder asked. With a simple nod in acknowledgement, Sora found his reason to take out Kadaj. Knowing well what Sephiroth was capable of, Sora made every effort to ensure that such a fiend would never return.

Kadaj was far faster than most foes that Sora had dealt with. More often than not, Sora had to go on the defensive, unable to keep up with the speed. In contrast, Cloud was the one able to push back the Nobody. Whenever Sora was on the defensive, Cloud was able to launch his deadly attacks.

Nonetheless, Kadaj was able to elude virtually all the attacks that Cloud and Sora offered. In a ballet of flashing blades and clashing steel, the fight was highlighted with endless parries, dodges, and a frenzy of cuts and slashes. Long, intricate sequences passed with neither side letting up, with much of the credit going to the Nobody for enduring numerous strikes from Sora's Oblivion and Cloud's Buster Sword.

It was until Cloud failed to connect with Kadaj's nimble dual-bladed katana that the stalemate took a turn. Slipping beneath Cloud's massive Buster Sword, Kadaj parried Cloud's missed attack and delivered a swift kick to the mighty warrior. Sliding against the metal plating of the abandoned building, Cloud crashed into a nearby wall. As the warrior was sent into a pile of rubble, Sora quickly rose and attempted a counterattack.

Somewhat outmatched, Sora's attack was effortlessly evaded. Before Kadaj could land his own counterattack, Sora quickly shifted his Keyblade to block the potentially fatal blow. However, the force was enough to drive the Keyblade master into the ground.

"I don't know who you are," said the Nobody. "But thank _you_ for the entertainment."

With those words, Kadaj leapt high into the air, his figure distorted by the setting sun. For a second, time seemed to slow down. And at the last moment, Sora caught sight of the man and had no other choice but to put his Keyblade up in defense.

However, simultaneously, just before Kadaj could land his attack, Cloud stormed forward from his isolation and belted Kadaj with his blade just before the katana came into contact with Sora's Keyblade. Instantly, the Nobody and his sword were sent flying off the edge of the building. Disarmed, Kadaj hung onto the ledge, helpless and incapacitated.

Both Sora and Cloud approached the defeated warrior with their weapons drawn. With just a moment of eye contact, Kadaj pushed off from the ledge of the building and fell towards the ground below. In shock, both Sora and Cloud watched as an eerie black mist began seeping out of the Nobody. It was clear; the man had another ace up his sleeve.

"Ever wonder what happens when a Nobody reunites with his heart?" Kadaj inquired sinisterly. "I'll show you my Reunion."

"Ugh," Cloud spat upon realizing the horror that was about to unfold.

Immediately, Sora and Cloud silently agreed and dove for the fleeing Nobody. Again time seemed to slow down in the process as the two warriors of light approached the darkness that was now enveloping Kadaj. Winding up his Buster Sword, Cloud delivered a vertical hack to Kadaj's head at the moment of impact. Likewise, Sora came in a second later to drill his Oblivion into the Nobody.

In an explosion of power, Cloud met his blade with a new one, the legendary seven-foot long katana. Unable to react, Cloud could only remain silent and motionless as his eyes met the familiar ominously green cat-like eyes and pale face before him. The one wing on his back twitched once, shedding a single black feather.

Sora was not even able to reach striking distance, as the wave of energy knocked him back a few yards before he could deliver his attack. The Keyblade master shook his head to rid himself of the daze, only to find himself staring at one of the most vicious beings he had ever faced.

_[__Noli manere, manere in memoria  
Noli manere, manere in memoria]_

"It's been a long time," the menacing voice echoed. "Cloud."

Cloud was speechless. A gasp was all he could manage. All the strength that he had when he was fighting Kadaj was suddenly nonexistent. A smirk crept across Sephiroth's face. Without warning, Cloud felt a heavy blow strike his side as he was sent soaring onto another building.

Before Sephiroth proceeded to go after Cloud, he caught sight of Sora lying on his side just a few yards away.

"Sephiroth," Sora whispered.

Glancing upward at Cloud's limp figure, Sephiroth decided to take a detour and face the vulnerable Keyblade-wielder. The same smirk remained on the villain's face.

"I remember you," he murmured. "The chosen wielder of the Keyblade—"

"So what if I am, Sephiroth?" Sora cut in. "It doesn't make a difference that it's meant to get rid of darkness like you!"

"—Cloud's friend," Sephiroth finished. "Hm."

Again, without warning, Sephiroth used his Masamune to launch Sora into a building near Cloud. The brutal strike on its own was enough to put Sora out of commission. As soon as the Keyblade-wielder crashed onto the metal plating, he was completely in shambles.

Cloud was the first to get back on his feet. Without a moment's rest, he watched as Sephiroth gracefully floated over to higher ground just ahead. Weapon in hand, Cloud knew better than to attack right away.

"Just what are you after now?" he asked cautiously. "Did you not finish trying to lure me into the darkness?"

Sephiroth showed his ghostly grin again.

"What I want, Cloud," Sephiroth announced. "Is to sail the darkness of the universe with this world as my vessel…"

With uncanny powers, Sephiroth raised his hand and seemingly summoned dark clouds to seal up the sky. All light was shut out, with only periodic flashes of lightning showing in the hazy sky. Not even a remote sign of the setting sun was visible. Black smog enveloped the city of Midgar, converting the entire region into a hellish domain.

"And what will happen to this world?" Cloud asked angrily.

"Who knows?" Sephiroth mocked, provoking Cloud to fight him. "That's up to you."

Upon a blast of thunder, Sephiroth charged towards Cloud, Masamune reared up. The blonde warrior tightened his grip around his Buster Sword and leapt into the air to meet his arch-nemesis once again.

_[__Noli manere, manere in memoria  
Noli manere, manere in memoria  
Sephiroth, Sephiroth]_

* * *

"He has returned," Vincent announced solemnly.

He gestured to the hazy atmosphere and the rising storm clouds, to which everyone onboard the Shera watched in silence.

"I hope they're safe…" Kairi whispered to herself.

Aerith overheard the girl and placed a hand on her shoulder in support.

"Those two boys can handle themselves," said Aerith. "You know how they are."

"Let's show them our support," Tifa added in a serious tone. "But we must leave the fighting to them."

"It's a war between warriors of light against the warrior of darkness," Red XIII murmured.

_In this fight against darkness_, Kairi thought to herself. _We must offer our light…_

By now the sky was completely shrouded, leaving the Shera with no route to stay on. Hovering above the battlefield, the party maintained a certain altitude to keep a lookout for the fighters below. Unfortunately, the sheer chaos made it highly improbable for them to locate their friends.

_[Saevam iram, iram et dolorem  
Saevam iram, iram et dolorem  
Sephiroth, Sephiroth]_

* * *

Similar to the earlier fight against Kadaj, Cloud found himself in another competition saturated with endless parries, dodges, and brutal slashes. The only difference was that he was the one barely able to keep up in terms of speed and power. With a few horizontal cuts, Sephiroth was able to knock Cloud into the walls of buildings, despite having the attacks blocked. Constantly being driven into concrete, pounded into metal frames and beams, Cloud already felt his body dwindling in stamina.

_[Ferum terribile, terribile fatum]_

Sparks flew from the blades as Cloud struggled to match Sephiroth blow for blow. Pillars and surrounding structures were cleaved and torched with the magnificent strikes from both warriors, setting the building ablaze.

_[__Noli manere, manere in memoria  
Noli manere, manere in memoria  
Sephiroth, Sephiroth]_

"Heh," Sephiroth chuckled in curiosity as Cloud and he crossed blades once again. "What has made you so strong?"

"I don't feel like telling you!" Cloud spat, pushing Sephiroth through the crumbling ceiling.

Following the villain through the falling building, Cloud cursed himself as he lost sight of Sephiroth. But a rumbling noise behind him prompted the warrior to quickly leap out of the way.

In a display of godly powers, Sephiroth tore parts of buildings and skyscrapers apart, launching the massive chunks of debris towards the outmatched Cloud. And whenever Sephiroth revealed himself, Cloud was always a second too late, as his attacks were constantly evaded. His strength was diminishing, but he continued to push forward. In a way, this fight was his test. Only he could defeat Sephiroth. Mentally, Cloud made a note to finish the fiend off for good this time. Blocking off another chunk of concrete, Cloud made his way to higher ground in pursuit of Sephiroth.

"I was thinking of a parting gift for you," Sephiroth's voice taunted him, sending more massive debris hurtling down.

In defense, Cloud continued to hack away the rubble, frustrated by the fact that Sephiroth was merely toying with him.

"Shall I give you despair?" the villain sneered. He raised a hand towards another collapsing building. "Kneel down and show me how you look when you're begging for mercy!"

_[Veni, mi fili. Veni, mi fili  
Hic veni, da mihi mortem iterum  
Veni, mi fili. Veni, mi fili  
Hic veni, da mihi...]_

Cloud gasped at the sight of Sephiroth's might. Trapped beneath the rain of wreckage, he maintained his footing as he reflexively slashed around himself, trying his best to clear his way to Sephiroth. But as soon as Cloud cut across one last piece of debris, the villainous Sephiroth charged through with his Masamune fully extended. Parrying in the nick of time, Cloud once again found himself in another brawl to match Sephiroth's speed and power. As his energy faded, Sephiroth seemed to remain as stalwart as ever.

_[__Noli manere in memoria  
Saevam iram et dolorem  
Ferum terribile fatum  
Ille iterum veniet]_

The extreme pandemonium that erupted across the district finally snapped Sora back to his senses. Fearing that he might have suffered some sort of concussion when Sephiroth drove him into a building, Sora tried his best with Cure spells to recover what energy he had left. When he finally took notice of his surroundings, it was nearly too late. Barely escaping the colossal chunks of metal and stone plummeting toward him, Sora leapfrogged across the falling debris and scaled the buildings that were still miraculously standing.

Not too far away, the sparks that flew out of Cloud's Buster Sword and Sephiroth's Masamune caught Sora's attention. Amidst the crumbling buildings, the fatigued Cloud soared to higher grounds, momentarily escaping defeat at the hands of Sephiroth.

"Cloud!" Sora shouted, though his voice was covered by the deafening blasts around him.

Without further thoughts, Sora made a dash for Cloud and Sephiroth. He had to hurry, as Sephiroth already made his way to the exhausted blonde warrior.

Now it became a beating. As he was toying with Cloud earlier, Sephiroth suddenly decided to bring the duel to an end. Only a few yards off, Sora sprinted as fast as he could across the demolished buildings.

It was still in the heat of battle. Cloud was nearly out of strength, but he leapt into the air one more time, winding his Buster Sword up for one final strike on Sephiroth.

"Cloud, don't!" Sora shouted out.

"Hm," Sephiroth grunted, as he shot his katana forward.

Underestimating the length of the sword, Cloud was caught; impaled through the lower chest. Blood spattered wildly behind him and leaked through the front of his indigo shirt.

"Cloud…!" Sora cried out at the sight. He became immobilized, unable to comprehend the situation.

"Do you remember the pain you once tasted, Cloud? That remarkable darkness," Sephiroth whispered sinisterly. "Allow me to give you yet another taste of that unforgettable agony!"

And it officially became overkill. With the Masamune still jammed in his chest, Cloud was tossed into the sky, only to be impaled many more times by Sephiroth. Brutally juggled around and maimed, Cloud was utterly defenseless. Still, Sephiroth was not finished. Twirling the katana, he threw Cloud straight into the metal plates below. Blood rained from above, decorating the crippled building in gruesome fashion.

The fallen warrior was still alive, though, much to Sora's relief. Covered with terrifying wounds, Cloud still tried to find the will to get back up.

Sora rushed over to his comrade, muttering a chain of Cure spells to at least keep Cloud from perishing on the spot. His magic was only enough to keep the warrior alive for now, though it was not enough to stop the blood from dripping and flowing all over.

"Sephiroth!" Sora bellowed.

"Face it, boy," the one-winged man murmured as he landed. "He'll never let go of the darkness."

"Shut up!" Sora snapped. "How would you know?!"

With that, Sora charged towards Sephiroth with his Keyblade in hand. With little more than a scoff, Sephiroth ducked under Sora's horizontal swing, rammed forward with his free hand—which easily knocked Sora flat onto his back, and then drove his Masamune straight into Keyblade master's right shoulder.

"Ugh…" Sora groaned in pain as he saw his own blood trickle down next to him.

"Tell me," Sephiroth started, directing his words to both Sora and Cloud. "What is most important… to both of you…"

Sora tried to grasp the Masamune's blade, but the pain enfeebled him. Wincing, he only managed to lift his left hand. Not too far off, Cloud was on his knees, gasping heavily for breath.

"Will you grant me the pleasure of taking it away?" Sephiroth sneered.

_Kairi. Riku. Mom. Destiny Islands._

—_Tifa. Aerith. Marlene. Denzel._

_ King Mickey. Donald. Goofy._

_ —Barret. Cid. Yuffie. Vincent._

_ Everyone!_

_ —My friends, my family…_

"You've beaten him before, Cloud!" Sora yelled out, ignoring the pain in his shoulder, acknowledging that Cloud's state was far worse than that of his own. "It's a matter of heart! Piece of cake!"

_[Mi fili, veni, veni, veni, mi fili  
Mi fili, veni, veni, veni, mi fili  
Mi fili, veni, veni, veni, mi fili  
Mi fili, veni, veni, veni, mi fili]_

Cloud scowled and launched himself towards Sephiroth, forcing the villain to draw his blade from Sora. Then, the both of them soared into the sky, reminiscent of their last battle in the Radiant Garden.

"So pathetic…" Cloud scoffed adamantly. "You understand nothing."

_[Mi fili, veni, veni, veni, mi fili  
Qui mortem invitavis]_

"There is nothing…" the blonde warrior continued. "…That isn't important to us!"

_[Mi fili, veni, veni, veni, mi fili  
Poena funesta natus]_

Sephiroth chuckled mockingly, preparing his Masamune again. Cloud smashed his Buster Blade straight into the katana and glared into the eyes of Sephiroth.

_[Mi fili, veni, veni, veni, mi fili  
Noli nomen vocare]_

Suddenly, a blue glow wrapped around Cloud. In the midst of Sephiroth's surprise, the Buster Blade split into six unique pieces. Sephiroth's eyes widened. Time slowed down again. Drawing from each sword, Cloud attacked… The first slash. The second slash. Third slash. Fourth slash. Fifth, sixth, seventh…

_[Mi fili, veni, veni, veni, mi fili  
Ille iterum veniet]_

The eighth slash. The ninth slash. Tenth slash. Sephiroth gasped as Cloud cut past him each time. Eleventh slash. Twelfth, thirteenth, fourteenth. Finally, the fifteenth slash sealed the villain's fate as Cloud drove his Buster Sword vertically, from the sky to the ground, right through…

_[Sephiroth]_

"Rest quietly," Cloud said to the one-winged man in the sky. "As a memory…"

As a last sign of the villain's defeat, heaven's light dissipated the dark clouds that loomed overhead. The sounds of thunder ceased. The haze faded. Within the light flapped the one wing of Sephiroth.

"I will not…" the villain whispered in his final words. "…Become a memory…"

He enclosed himself within the single massive angel wing and diffused into the air in a flurry of black feathers and haze. Sephiroth was gone. This time, Cloud was certain he settled the score.

The blonde warrior, victorious at the end, leaned against the back wall of the building and wiped the blood from the side of his face. He was numb, no longer able to respond to the wounds that covered his body. A few feet away, Sora sat up and clutched his injured right shoulder. With his free hand, he gave Cloud a thumbs-up sign.


	81. Sea of Unlocked Hearts

**Chapter LXXXI:**

Kairi closed the door behind her and made her way back downstairs to the Seventh Heaven bar. The sounds of light clanging between ceramic dishes, glasses, and mugs, the running water, and incomprehensible clamoring between the scattered guests covered up the dreary silence that Kairi had to endure on the second floor.

"How are they?" Tifa asked when Kairi arrived behind the counter.

"Still out cold," Kairi answered dismally. "Need any help…?"

"I guess an extra pair of hands won't hurt," said the older woman. "Any chance you know how to mix drinks?"

"I-I, uh…" Kairi began. "Not a clue, actually."

Tifa giggled and passed a measuring cup over to Kairi.

"Chocobo Breeze," a customer suddenly appeared and ordered. "Make it extra hard, yeah?"

"What the heck is a…" Kairi mumbled, holding the measuring cup in one hand.

Without warning, Tifa slid over several glass and plastic bottles. Some held strong liquor that Kairi could not identify. The others contained various fruit juices, pre-mixed ingredients, and carbonated drinks.

"As long as you know how to measure ingredients, this should be a piece of cake," said Tifa. "Just follow my instructions."

"I hope this is as simple as you make it sound…" Kairi said hesitantly.

"Ready?" Tifa asked, finally passing an ice-filled, metal cocktail shaker over to Kairi. "Pour two ounces of vodka into the shaker… mhm, the clear bottle. Yeah, because the customer wants it stronger than normal."

Kairi did what she was told, carefully measuring out an ounce of liquor before pouring the contents into the metal capsule.

"Okay, it gets a bit messy here," said Tifa. "Measure out an ounce of pineapple juice and toss that in there. So far so good… next, add half an ounce of pomegranate juice and half an ounce of that sweet mix…"

"Now what?" Kairi asked after she dumped the last drop of pomegranate juice into the cocktail shaker.

"Seal that up and give it a few shakes," Tifa instructed. "Make sure you hold down the lid so it won't spill… okay, good. Now just pop open the top and filter the contents into this glass. Hey, not bad!"

"Phew, is that it?" Kairi asked.

"Not quite," said Tifa. "This would make a decent drink on its own, but the customer requested a different one. Splash a bit of that soda into the glass with ice… not too much, though—okay, that should be enough. Next…"

Tifa reached into a cupboard and withdrew a small container. She unscrewed the lid and passed the ingredients to Kairi.

"Pinch a bit of this Zeio powder and sprinkle it over the drink… perfect, that looks great! Now for a couple of finishing touches…"

Tifa inserted a thin straw into the glass and gently stirred the beverage. Finally, she cut a slice of lime and wedged the fruit on the edge of the glass. Without a word, she slid the drink down the counter to its designated guest.

"Damn fine drink this is!" the customer raucously declared. "Ma'am, a great job like always!"

"Oh, no, you should be complimenting her this time instead of me," Tifa said, placing a hand on Kairi's shoulder. "That's her job well done."

"Ah-ha! I see a new bar girl in the makin'!" the man bellowed. "Damn good job! _Damn_ good job!"

"Eh, thanks?" Kairi replied quietly.

"Feel free to take a break, Kairi," Tifa suggested with a smile. "I'll take care of the rest of these guys. If you want, you can help me finish up washing."

Pivoting around, Kairi went straight for the sink. Occasionally, she would peer over her shoulder to observe Tifa's performance. She was fast. What took a few, long minutes for Kairi was cranked out by Tifa in a third of the time. In fact, Tifa sometimes even skipped the measurements and used her eyes to quantify all the ingredients. After a couple of minutes of staring, Kairi completely zoned out.

"Kairi?"

Kairi shook her head and blinked several times before she turned the water off. She turned to face Tifa, who was leaning against the counter, apparently finished with the stream of customers. The background noise was dying down as the the last few customers made their way out of the bar.

"Still worried?" Tifa asked, as if reading the Keyblade-wielder's mind.

"Yeah…" Kairi murmured, slightly nodding her head.

"I thought so," Tifa responded quietly.

"You're not worried?" Kairi asked. "About Cloud?"

Tifa smiled and faced the stairs that led to the second floor. Idly, she wiped down the counters until a sparkling gleam showed across. Kairi wordlessly watched the woman's graceful movements.

"I'm beyond worried," Tifa finally said. She rinsed the towel under the faucet and hung it on the wall to dry. "But… these things happen, especially in this world. You learn to accept it. You just hope for the best."

"You're awfully strong, Tifa," said Kairi.

"No," Tifa answered, shaking her head. "Not as strong as you think I am."

"What do you mean?"

"I can break pretty easily," Tifa explained with a light chuckle.

"And I find that hard to believe," Kairi jested, sensing the alleviated atmosphere. "If it weren't for the people around me, I'd be a mess right now. Especially… if it weren't for Sora."

"Even if you don't believe me, Kairi," said Tifa. "I honestly think I'd be in bad shape without the people around me right now. Marlene, Denzel, Cloud… they're very important people to me. All my friends… Aerith, Yuffie, Barret…"

Kairi folded her arms over the clean counter and rested her head on top. She exhaled heavily.

"Sometimes I feel guilty relying on others to take care of me," she started. "Sora spent nearly two years on his past journeys fighting the toughest enemies. I wasn't able to do much at all back then. He protected me as much as he could. And even now, he's still watching out for me…

"That's why I feel I have to work even harder to fight alongside him. I want to make sure I can help him. I want to know that I'm not being a burden…"

"You don't always have to fight to help," said Tifa. "Sometimes… offering your support is enough."

"You think so?" Kairi asked. "It doesn't feel like it's enough."

"Sometimes you don't want to do too much," Tifa continued. "It's like that for many things. Helping others, offering support, expressing yourself—"

Tifa paused for a moment. She slowly walked over to the bottom of the staircase and slowly looked up.

"I'm… going to check up on them," she said solemnly, facing Kairi one more time before heading upstairs.

Unable to get Sora out of her mind, Kairi unconsciously followed Tifa upstairs to where Sora and Cloud were both resting. The door was left slightly ajar from when Kairi departed. The voices of children could be heard, as well.

Both Denzel and Marlene were between the two beds, each swapping visits between Sora and Cloud. When they saw Tifa, the two of them made their way over to their guardian.

"Will they be okay?" Marlene asked innocently.

"Definitely," Tifa whispered, hugging the young girl closely. "Why don't you go visit your daddy? I bet he's getting lonely without you."

Marlene nodded enthusiastically and left the room to search for Barret. Tifa gently beckoned Denzel to follow the girl.

"Update everyone else, okay, Denzel?" said Tifa. "They're all worried, too."

"You'll let us know when they wake up, right?" Denzel asked.

Tifa nodded and playfully ruffled the boy's hair, drawing a jolly nudge from the child. Shortly, the two children closed the room's door, leaving a hollow silence in their wake.

Kairi and Tifa made their way to Sora and Cloud, respectively. They knelt down besides their motionless companions and wordlessly prayed for the best.

Kairi made a move to hold Sora's hand, but realized the Keyblade master's right arm was completely bandaged from shoulder to fingers. Not knowing the extent of Sora's injury, Kairi decided to refrain herself from touching any part of her friend. Across the room, Kairi thought she was hallucinating when she saw a tear trickle down the side of Tifa's face.

"Is he okay?" Kairi whispered.

Tifa faintly nodded before resting her head on the side of Cloud's bed. In the rays of the moonlight, Kairi finally noticed the toll that anxiety took on Tifa's usual radiant face. The older woman was paler than usual and appeared far more strained than ever.

"I told you I can break easily," Tifa whispered back.

"You're a really good actress," Kairi tried to joke.

"You're holding up nicely, at least," Tifa attempted to counter.

Kairi watched Sora's chest slowly rise and fall for a moment before she felt something snap within her.

"No, I'm not…" she murmured, more to herself than to Tifa.

In an instant, she felt tears stream down the side of her face. Concern and apprehension had finally conquered. Unable to help herself, Kairi buried her face into the bedsheets and sobbed quietly until fatigue caught up with her. Perhaps it was for the best, as sleep eventually wrapped around her, temporarily easing her mind and heart.


	82. Hand in Hand: A Flight to the End

**Chapter LXXXII:**

Riku slipped out of his dark portal not too far from where he left the two Nobody commanders. He only hoped that they remained unaware of his presence. He was closer to Kingdom Hearts now, the closest he had ever been since fighting Xemnas alongside Sora. Upon further examination, Riku sighed as he watched small pieces of hearts disintegrate from the great moon.

The Door to Darkness remained where it was since the last great battle for Kingdom Hearts. Riku stepped up to the giant white door and considered the possibilities if he could enter on his own. He pushed firmly with his right hand. As he predicted, the door showed no signs of budging.

The heart of all worlds. Dying.

Riku wondered if he could do anything to save Kingdom Hearts. Even with all the mystery that shrouded it, Kingdom Hearts was the epicenter of everything. Riku was certain that if Kingdom Hearts completely collapses, darkness may devour all the worlds in their entirety.

A spontaneous urgency erupted within the Keyblade master. Without considering the alternatives, Riku summoned another dark portal and was set to visit the fiend responsible for the late upsets between light and darkness: Maleficent.

_

* * *

Are they up yet?  
Still out, I'm afraid.  
You think they'll be okay?  
Of course—  
Hey, look!  
Hey, Sora! …Sora!  
Cloud?  
Up, you two!_

Sora massaged his forehead with his left hand. Even a small twitch sent waves of pain and soreness through his right side. Through half-closed eyes, Sora saw the bandages that enveloped his right shoulder.

_Sephiroth!_ he suddenly recalled.

"Ugh," a low voice groaned near him. "Sephiroth…"

Now Sora remembered everything.

"Sephiroth," the Keyblade master reiterated. "…We got him, right?"

Cloud slowly sat upright from his bed, similarly dazed. He glanced at the doorway, meeting the eyes of Tifa, Aerith, and Barret. Sifting a hand through his spiky blonde hair, Cloud made a move to slide out of bed. The sudden movement incapacitated him, causing him to flinch in pain.

"Take it easy, Cloud," Aerith said soothingly. "You, too, Sora."

Empty bottles of potions were littered on the desks nearby. Sora figured Aerith must have contributed a great deal in his and Cloud's recovery. If he could accurately remember Cloud's injuries, mere potions would never suffice.

"Thanks, Aerith," said Sora as he sat up, lightly gripping his right shoulder.

Aerith gave the teen a quick wink, acknowledging his gratitude.

"Sora!" another voice called out.

Before Sora could properly react, Kairi was already at his bedside. There were signs that she was recently crying—the faint redness in the center of her face, the moisture that remained in her eyes. There were moments when Kairi did nothing to hide her emotional side, and this was one of them.

"Hey, Kairi—"

"Sora, you bum!" Kairi suddenly yelled. "Do you have _any _idea how worried I was?!"

"I—"

Kairi was about to pound her hands into Sora out of frustration, but instinctively held back. The expression on her face softened as she considered Sora's injuries. She gently placed her hand on the Keyblade master's right arm, away from the shoulder.

"Does it hurt a lot?" she whispered.

"Nah."

"Honestly, Sora…"

"Just… a little," Sora admitted. "I'll live, don't worry about that."

"Jerk," Kairi whispered again, this time smiling helplessly at Sora's attitude.

Without holding back, Kairi wrapped her arms around Sora's neck and warmly embraced her dear friend. With only one free arm, Sora placed his left hand on Kairi's lower back. There was unique sensitivity in the embrace, and it was an aspect that Sora knew only existed in this close relationship.

Apparently the rest of the crew was on the floor below, as Barret quickly called them all upstairs. The room was too small to fit everyone, forcing the majority of the members to take turns visiting Sora and Cloud.

Mickey, Donald, and Goofy were still present, much to Sora's content. The Disney Castle trio simultaneously gathered around Sora and Kairi, eager to see their awakened companion.

"What, you think we're just gonna leave you like that, Sora?" Donald asked, responding to Sora's relieved look.

"No, of course, not," said Sora. "But I'm still glad you're all here."

"Donald did what he could to help keep you well," said Mickey.

Sora nodded a silent thanks to the duck mage.

"Kairi did a lot, too," Donald pointed out.

"The potions?" Sora asked. He looked at Kairi. "…Or… no way, Cure magic?"

Kairi gave Sora a smirk.

"Hyuck!" Goofy chuckled, directing Sora's attention back to Aerith. The woman gave Sora another quick wink.

If there was anyone else other than Merlin who had a seemingly endless pool of magic or spiritual energy at their hands, it was the mystical Aerith. Because the woman offered her knowledge to Kairi, Sora was deeply grateful.

"Thanks, Aerith," Sora said. "For teaching Kairi."

"Kairi had the ability in her all along," said Aerith. She waved her finger at the Keyblade master, as if scolding him. "You just have to believe in her as much as she believes in you."

"But I do…!" Sora protested. _Or maybe I should show it more often…_

"I know you do," Kairi said in support. "Sometimes I have to believe in myself just as much."

"Ah, phooey, this place is gettin' a little too mushy for me," Donald mumbled as he departed the room.

Goofy nodded to Sora before following Donald out the door. Mickey remained for a moment longer before turning out, as well.

"Sora and Kairi," the king started. He made no eye contact as he was speaking. "Take as much time as you need. But when you're ready, come back to the Gummi ship."

"Is something happening, King Mickey?" Sora inquired.

The mouse king had already exited from the room before the question reached his ears. Sora scratched his head in uncertainty, accidentally with his wounded arm. Clenching his teeth as he winced, Sora quickly massaged the area around the epicenter of pain.

"Aerith said it'll heal soon," Kairi reported. "The magic stopped it from getting worse, that's for sure—"

"Cloud!" Tifa suddenly gasped.

The blonde warrior seemed to be in no mood to stay in bed. Massaging his chest and then his arms, Cloud pulled his blankets to the side and planted his feet on the creaky wooden floor. Aside from a few bandages and scarring cuts, Cloud appeared fairly healthy. As soon as Sora realized that the older warrior was able to push himself forward even with all the injuries, he forced himself to do the same.

_It's only my shoulder,_ Sora thought to himself. _I'm stronger than this._

Wordlessly, Cloud steadily stood upright and sighed. He examined his arms and gently pressed his chest and abdomen, as if trying to get a feel of the extent of his wounds. Perhaps his memory was somewhat boggled after the brutal duel with Sephiroth, but Sora could vividly recall the scenes. Tifa, Aerith, and all the other bystanders watched in wonder.

"You sure you're alright, Cloud?" Sora asked first. "I mean, I saw what happened. It was really rough…"

"It's not the first time he did that to me," Cloud answered. "It'll take more than that to take me out."

"Oh, tough guy, eh?" Barret cackled heartily. "Alright, nothin' left to see here, everyone! They're okay. Off we go!"

Cloud smirked at Barret's energy and made a quick motion with his head to beckon Tifa and Aerith to follow everyone else out. As the last few departed, Cloud turned to Sora.

"Are you well enough to come along?" he asked quietly.

"You bet," said Sora. "Hey, Cloud…"

"Hm?"

"You really got him this time? Sephiroth?"

Cloud shifted his eyes to the window. The orange sky signified the twilight hours. Perhaps he could wait another day.

"I'm sure this time," Cloud finally answered. "The darkness… it's finally gone."

"That's great, Cloud!" Kairi cheered.

"By the way, Cloud," Sora called before the mighty warrior left the room. "So you're gonna talk to Tifa, right? About your day off?"

He was planning on waiting another day, too. But Cloud appreciated Sora's insistency.

"Why don't you worry about yourself first?" Cloud countered with a humorous tone. He smiled faintly, to show Sora the meaning behind his words.

Sora shrugged, feigning innocence on the subject. This left Kairi in a puzzled state. Again, for some reason, she felt that she was missing something.

"Kairi, I have a favor to ask," said Cloud.

The sudden request piqued the girl's interest. It seemed completely out of the blue. Or did Sora have some role here?

"If you're going downstairs later," Cloud continued. "Talk to Yuffie for me. I think she's heading home tomorrow. Ask her to take Denzel on a tour through Wutai while she's at it."

"I thought you weren't gonna ask Yuffie to—" Sora pointed out. Cloud quickly interrupted him.

"They don't see each other too often," Cloud explained. "It'll work."

"What works?" Kairi asked. She was completely clueless. "Wait… well, okay, I'll ask Yuffie. But can anyone explain to me what's happening here?"

"Cloud's gonna take Tifa on a date," Sora snickered.

"_Ohh!_" Kairi chirped. "I see. That makes a lot more sense now."

Cloud flung a nearby blanket over Sora, completely covering the Keyblade master from head to toe.

"I'm going to talk to Tifa about closing the bar tomorrow," Cloud mumbled as he headed out the room, leaving Sora to struggle out of his fabric prison.

Kairi looked behind her, waiting for Sora to emerge. She placed her hands at her hips, and as soon as Sora peered through from under the covers, Kairi raised an eyebrow in inquiry.

"Any chance this was your idea… So… ra?" Kairi asked in a subtle singsong voice.

"Mm, not really," Sora answered truthfully. "Cloud made the suggestion himself."

"But you guys talked about it, right?"

"Well, yeah—"

"Sora," Kairi said, suddenly in a stern tone. "When this is all over—this whole battle between light and darkness—when we go home, you're promising me a date, too."

_Whoa, since when did Kairi become so direct?_ Sora marveled in surprise.

_["Maybe," Kairi said to herself. "Waiting isn't good enough."_  
"_My thoughts exactly!" a voice answered. Axel suddenly appeared. "If you have a dream, don't wait. Act. One of life's __little rules. Got it memorized?"]_

_ Never would've guessed that I'd take an advice from someone in Organization XIII,_ Kairi thought.

"Ah," Sora started, scratching his head. "A date? Really?"

Kairi nodded silently.

"Well, I dunno, Kairi," Sora droned. "A date with a princess, that's pretty big."

"Princesses can go on dates, can't they?" Kairi reasoned. "Anyway, I'm not like a _real_ princess, right?"

"Okay, Kairi," Sora sighed lightly. He gave Kairi a sincere smile, though.

"Then it's settled. We are going on a date when we get back home," Kairi declared happily. She walked over to the room's door, ready to head downstairs. "I'm gonna go talk to Yuffie now."

Closing the door behind her, Kairi departed, and Sora flopped back onto the bed as the doorknob's latch clicked shut.

"Let things be, huh. And settle," Sora mumbled to himself. He blinked a couple of times in wonder. "Where did I hear that before?"

_Riku,_ Sora quickly realized. "I wonder how he's doing?"

So much for their bid to stay together, was Sora's discontented view. It had been quite some time since Kairi and he found any sign of Riku. The fact his best friend reverted back to the powers of darkness bothered him a bit, but Sora forced himself to believe in Riku. The older teen knew himself the best, and Sora was not about to reconsider that.

* * *

"Eh, _what?!_" Yuffie sputtered after Kairi told her of Cloud's favor.

"Sh, sh, shh!" Kairi hushed. "You don't want the others to hear!"

"You kiddin', Kairi?!" Yuffie sputtered again. "This is huge! We gotta broadcast this right away!"

"Yuffie!" Kairi groaned.

"Cloud doesn't take the initiative in stuff like this," Yuffie explained excitedly. "But I guess I can help out."

"Thanks, Yuffie," said Kairi.

"What's going on here," a soft voice sounded nearby.

"Oh, Aerith, p-perfect!" Yuffie babbled, much to Aerith's confusion.

Yuffie proceeded to explain the situation to Aerith, which the older woman soon hesitantly accepted.

"Well, I suppose it will be interesting to see how it all plays out…" Aerith spoke.

"So I'm heading back to Wutai tomorrow since everything's pretty much cleared up here," Yuffie continued. "You haven't been to my hometown, right? So we'll drag little Denzel along and I'll offer you both a free tour! You'll pay for your own lodging though, heh heh!"

Aerith glanced at Kairi, surprised that the Keyblade-wielder was in on this plan. Kairi shrugged innocently. She was merely the messenger girl.

"Oh, okay, Yuffie," Aerith finally decided. "It's better than sitting around doing nothing, I guess."

"Yes!" Yuffie cheered. "Now I oughta go get Cloud a 'closed for business' sign or something. He'll love it!"

With the last few words, Yuffie scampered off and out of the Seventh Heaven. Several heads turned in the direction of the ninja girl, but soon resumed their activities.

"She's lucky Tifa didn't hear her," Aerith noted.

"Where did Cloud disappear off to?" Kairi asked, scanning around the bar. "He came down here only a few minutes before me."

"He's off making a few deliveries before he takes the day off tomorrow," Aerith explained. "That man. And he didn't even fully recover yet."

The only ones who remained in the bar were Tifa—who was busy tending the customers, Barret, along with Marlene, Denzel, and Cid—and Aerith and Kairi. The two men were bickering over trivial matters again at the bar counter, but the spontaneous arguments ended, as usual, in a set of hearty laughs.

"Hey, Kairi," Aerith resumed.

Kairi ceased watching everyone else and faced Aerith again. The spiritual woman dug into the large ribbon that tied back her braided hair. Kairi observed inquisitively as Aerith retrieved a sphere roughly the size of a large marble. Kairi remembered the similar orbs she saw Yuffie take out back in the Radiant Garden.

"That's materia, right?" Kairi asked.

"That's correct," said Aerith. She unexpectedly lifted up one of Kairi's hands and gently placed the materia in the center of Kairi's palm. "Keep this. It's the White Materia."

"The… White Materia?" Kairi repeated. "What is it?"

"It's a powerful weapon, if used properly," explained Aerith. "You will have the ability to call upon a magical entity called Holy."

Kairi examined the sphere in her hands with awe. For some reason, she was having a tough time comprehending how such supposed power could be contained within something she could pinch between three fingers.

"You sure you wanna give that away?" asked Cid, who witnessed the event.

"It'll be more useful for Sora and Kairi than for us," said Aerith. "Now that our world is safe…"

"I'd like to see Maleficent's face when she has Holy up her—"

"Children around, Cid," Aerith reminded with a smile.

Cid grumbled the last couple of words to himself before going back to request another drink from Tifa. In a moment, the tapping of the wooden stairs caught Kairi's attention. Sora finally came down.

The Keyblade master was stretching out his right shoulder. Relieved, Kairi figured that Sora was nearly fully recovered if he could rotate his shoulder that well. Pocketing the White Materia, Kairi graciously thanked Aerith for the gift and hurried over to Sora.

"Should we head back to the ship now?" Kairi asked Sora.

Sora nearly forgot about Mickey's request.

"Yeah, I think so. He sounded a little strange, too."

The two Keyblade-wielders' sudden decision to leave caught everyone by surprise. Still, Tifa signaled for Marlene and Denzel to take over the bar while she and everyone else escorted the teens outside. Only a portion of the group remained, as many members had left to continue on their own paths.

The Celsius was already hovering above the Seventh Heaven, attracting a decent amount of attention from passing civilians. Mickey and Donald were most likely already on the ship, and Goofy was on the ground waiting for the arrival of the Keyblade-wielders. Right when Sora and Kairi appeared, the Gummi ship began to lower itself to boarding height.

"Where's Cloud?" Sora asked as he looked back towards everyone. "And Yuffie, Vincent, and everyone else?"

"Cloud's already off with his delivery job," Tifa answered. "Vincent, Red, and Cait Sith went off on their own after they knew you and Cloud were up and well. I'm not sure where Yuffie went, though…"

"Yuffie's off on her own errands," Aerith reported. "But don't worry, you two, we'll pass the goodbyes to her."

"Dang, Cloud was right, you really are a tough kid," Barret said with a loud laugh. The big man offered Sora his human hand for a handshake.

"It's nice seeing everyone again," said Sora, as he firmly gripped Barret's large hand. "Everything here seems peaceful now."

"And we'll make sure it stays this way," Cid grunted. He motioned his head towards the Celsius. "Now roll on outta here, ya crazy kids. And show the Heartless and Nobodies a thing or two."

Sora felt a tingle in his leg pocket. The King's Caller keychain vibrated and glowed just slightly. Mickey was urging them to hurry up. Sora smiled at everyone once more before offering his final farewells. Kairi was feeling a little reluctant to leave after becoming somewhat attached to everyone. But, like Sora's mentality, duty called. With confidence, Kairi also offered her goodbyes. In return, so did Tifa, Aerith, Cid, and Barret.

"Stay safe, you two!"

"Good luck, Sora and Kairi!"

"Go and get 'em, both of ya!"

"Drop by again sometime!"

"Let's go, Goofy," said Kairi, as she followed Sora up into the Celsius.

Within a minute, the Celsius locked up its doors and charged up its engines. The warriors left below looked on as the airship blasted off into the sky, soon disappearing into the setting sun. Within their hearts, they were grateful for Sora and Kairi's assistance in ensuring the safety of their world. All that was left for them to do was to wish the Keyblade-wielding teens the best of luck on the remainder of their journey.

Inside the Celsius, Sora and Kairi took their usual seats and awaited the anticipated announcement from Mickey. Donald and Goofy were already engrossed with their tasks, paying no heed to the restless expressions on both Sora and Kairi's faces.

"Now, you two," Mickey finally said. The mouse king spoke slowly, as if carefully choosing each uttered word. "I think it's time we put an end to this battle."

Sora and Kairi exchanged glances, somewhat bewildered with the king's words.

"And end?" Sora asked. "How many more keyholes do we have to seal?"

"Many more, Sora," Mickey replied. "But, we're not doin' that next."

Sora and Kairi looked at each other again. What was Mickey leading them to? They did not know. In silence, the two teens sat motionlessly, waiting for Mickey to add some clarification.

"The Highwind…" Mickey continued in a drearily slow pace. "Pete stole it from you two, right?"

The king briefly glanced over his shoulder and Sora nodded right away.

"We found it," said Mickey.

Again, Sora and Kairi exchanged looks.

"Oh, that's… great!" said Sora. "Is that what this is about? Picking up the Highwind?"

"You wanna know how we found it?" Donald asked from nowhere.

"Kinda…?" Sora answered slowly. Suddenly the atmosphere became unbearably heavy and uncomfortable. There was a feeling of mystery about. What were they hiding?

"I didn't wanna say anythin'," Mickey mumbled. His tone showed obvious signs of burden. "But… it's for the best…"

"Your Majesty?" both Sora and Kairi started to pry.

"It's Riku—"

"Riku?"

"R-Riku?!"

"Riku somehow found the Highwind," Mickey continued. "He contacted me just earlier from the ship…"

"Is he okay?!" Sora gasped. "Where is he? Where's the ship?"

"He told me not to tell you two—"

"Your Majesty, this is important!" Kairi exclaimed.

"—But gosh, I just can't keep that promise—"

"Is he safe?!"

"King Mickey!"

"Hey, show his Majesty some respect!" Donald quacked in protest.

"—It's okay, Donald, old friend," Mickey sighed. "And it's okay, Sora and Kairi—"

"What do you mean, it's okay?" Sora pleaded. "What's okay?!"

Mickey peered over his shoulder and made direct eye contact with both Sora and Kairi. A mix of emotions was present on the Keyblade-wielding teens' faces. There was anger, sadness, confusion, angst, and impatience, as well as relief, excitement, and hope.

"Because, Sora," Mickey said, his eyes still locked onto the Keyblade master's. "We're going to save him right now."

"Save him…?" Kairi repeated.

"Maleficent's stronghold," Mickey declared boldly. "Riku decided to pass through Costa Island all on his own. But even a great warrior like him can't get through all of Maleficent's forces alone."

"He's… okay… then?" Sora asked.

"He was captured while he contacted me from the Highwind. He's definitely trapped somewhere. Maleficent won't just get rid of him like that," Mickey answered solemly as he returned his attention to piloting the Celsius. "But I know for sure he's still alive."

Sora and Kairi sank into their seats, not knowing how to fully process the magnitude of the situation. Did Mickey just tell them they were about to charge straight into the center of darkness? But if it meant saving Riku and begin one last stand against Maleficent, Sora and Kairi were all up for the task.


	83. Tension Rising

**Chapter LXXXIII:**

By the time Riku was able to cut off communications with King Mickey, he was already cornered by overwhelming hordes of Heartless. Not surprisingly, the ambush was orchestrated by one of the Heartless commanders. While Riku struggled in futility, he found his eyes wandering until they locked onto Grymox, who was amid the sea of Heartless. Incapable of retaliation, the Keyblade master gave into his captors after his energy waned.

Dragged through a dark portal, Riku quickly found himself within the gothic walls that used to surround the Temple Key Museum. As a squad of Soldier Heartless tightly bound Riku's wrists together, Grymox shoved the warrior onward toward a tall door. Beside it was Syx, seemingly resentful of the Keyblade-wielder's presence in their stronghold.

With some supernatural powers, Syx flung the door open with ease, revealing a wide, hollow chamber surrounded by dark stained glass windows. Staring out—far beyond the armies of Heartless and thorny thickets that enveloped the unholy temple—was Maleficent herself. Though he was in the clutches of the fiendish Heartless commanders, Riku was pleased that he has come face-to-face with the wicked sorceress.

"You seem content," said Maleficent, as she slowly turned and approached the Keyblade master. "And how are you, my dear Riku?"

"Don't make me throw up," Riku spat.

"My, my…" Maleficent gasped derisively. "But this is curious. What impelled you to wander, all in your lonesome, to my wondrous dominion? Tell me you weren't planning on leaving unnoticed?"

Maleficent raised her scepter, which prompted the Soldier Heartless to release Riku. She then motioned for Syx and Grymox, as well as the lesser Heartless, to leave the room. Hesitantly, the Heartless commanders dissolved into the musky air, shutting the heavy door in their wake.

"My two delightful Heartless commanders have caught sight of you on numerous occasions," Maleficent continued. She cackled at Riku's spiteful expression. "It seems to me you're now in league with those wretched Nobodies?"

"Not at all," Riku muttered.

"Well, then," Maleficent hissed softly. "Shall we ask them?"

Riku furrowed his eyebrows in puzzlement. Before he could comprehend the sorceress's words, the chamber's doors swung open again, with the arrival of Sarlix and Xymgrel. To two Nobodies were encased within Maleficent's dark magic, rendered mute and immobile. Shortly, the two Heartless commanders emerged and tossed the helpless Nobodies into the center of the room for Riku to examine. As soon as their menial tasks were accomplished, Syx and Grymox departed, sealing the door behind them again.

Riku stared at the Nobody commanders. They appeared to be in stasis; their hands were stretched out, as if struggling to break free from the barrier. Their faces were contorted, as if they were suffering from some type of unspeakable agony. After a moment of analysis, Riku averted his eyes and stared at the floor instead.

"What did you _do_, Maleficent?" Riku asked in a shocked whisper. He turned and stared directly into Maleficent's murky yellow eyes. "Are you the one responsible for the collapse of Kingdom Hearts?"

"Kingdom Hearts is collapsing?" Maleficent repeated in curiosity. "I don't suppose that's pleasant news for my plans—"

"Huh, that's right… you're planning on taking over Kingdom Hearts," Riku muttered. He whipped out the Way to the Dawn and pointed it at Maleficent's vulnerable neck.

Instantaneously, Syx and Grymox teleported behind Riku and pinned the Keyblade master straight into the ground. The impact knocked the Keyblade out of Riku's hand before he could even react. He watched helplessly as his weapon slid across the room before dissipating into the air. Maleficent slowly approached the young warrior. She knelt down next to Riku, chuckling diabolically to herself.

"Well, since you're already here, perhaps you can be of some use to me," Maleficent schemed. "Only a few more steps before Kingdom Hearts is mine."

"What are you talking about?" Riku grumbled from the corner of his mouth.

The pressure that the two Heartless commanders were pressing onto him was almost unbearable. Riku strained just to utter a sound.

"All in time, my dear," Maleficent responded deviously. "Though your news of Kingdom Hearts falling apart—if it's true—does intrigue me so."

"_What should we do with him?_" Grymox asked.

Riku could not hear anything the Heartless commander was saying, as the telepathic message was only meant for Maleficent and Syx to hear.

"Sora and his lackeys should have sealed most of the keyholes by now. I'd assume the pests cannot be delayed any longer," Maleficent declared out loud. "The time to act is now! Take the two Nobodies away and proceed with what we've discussed before. I have other plans for our special guest…"

Within moments, the two Heartless commanders faded from view, taking Sarlix and Xymgrel with them. Before Riku could get back on his feet and call back his Keyblade, Maleficent fired a powerful beam of dark energy directly at the defenseless warrior. The result was the same as in the case of the two Nobodies. Riku roared in contempt as his body was slowly enveloped by a supernatural barrier. In a few seconds, all that was left was stillness. Frozen in place and time was a Keyblade master, trapped by the spell in an eternal struggle.

Maleficent summoned a dark portal and forced Riku's imprisoned body into it with her magic. She strolled over to the windows again, watching silently as a group of figures sneaked around her thorny forests, eluding the many Heartless that patrolled in the fog.

There they were.

The last time Sora and Kairi were here, they were locked away in Maleficent's stronghold. This time around, they were on the outside. And instead, Riku was the one sealed away.

"Who woulda thought we'd be the ones coming to Riku's rescue?" Kairi wondered.

The Celsius had landed a safe distance away from the gothic palace that sat beyond the deep fog. Throughout the region, demonic thorns penetrated the dry earth. Aside from only a few selected patches, Heartless were wandering everywhere. Fortunately for them, when Sora, Kairi, and the royal trio disembarked their Gummi ship, they managed to slip through the thorny forests without notice. Of course, that did not mean the trek was a walk through a serene park. Cut up and torn by the horrific thorns, the group stumbled their way into another empty patch.

"Terrible! Absolutely terrible!" Donald quacked as he plucked out the needles jammed in his feathery body.

"Well, it's either that or all the Heartless on the island," Sora grumbled as he cleaned himself off.

Channeling a few Cure spells to relieve the rest of their scratches, the group tried their best to clear away the thorny hindrances as they cut their way towards Riku and Maleficent. Little did they know—the mistress of all evil was watching every one of their moves.

Before long, the group faced the main entrance to Maleficent's stronghold. As expected, the grand door was locked. Seeing no other alternatives, Sora and Kairi shrugged at each other before pointing their Keyblades at the door.

Unexpectedly, a peculiar yell from behind caught the teens off guard. Before they had any idea what was happening, a figure accelerated past them and rammed straight through the door. Mouths ajar, Sora and Kairi peered into the massive hole that used to be the door.

"Hyuck! Ain't nothin' like a good ol' fashioned batterin' ram!"

"Oh, Goofy…" Sora sighed.

"Are you okay, Goofy?" Kairi asked.

"Huh? Oh, yeah," Goofy sputtered. "As good as can be!"

"Ah, ya big palooka," Donald started muttering as he marched past Goofy. "C'mon, let's—"

Suddenly—when the party made their way in—the room around them faded into blackness. Nothing was visible, even when Mickey conjured an orb of fire to create a makeshift torch. The darkness simply swallowed the light.

"Stay close, everyone!" the mouse king called out.

Sora tried not to move, but he could not help but reach his hands out, hoping for some contact.

"Hard to stay close when you don't even know who or what's next to you—oh, hi, Kairi—"

"Sora…!" Kairi whined. She suddenly gasped. "Hey, Sora! Look!"

Sora felt Kairi's hand on the side of his face, as he was gently eased in the direction of interest. Just as suddenly as falling into the darkness, a vast wave of light suddenly erupted, temporarily blinding Sora, Kairi, Mickey, Donald, and Goofy. In a swathe of powerful energies, the group temporarily faded from existence, only to re-emerge in supposedly another region.

When he fully regained his vision, Sora realized that he was in an eerily familiar environment. Sparkling metal tram rails stretched around this district. Below the sloped roads were empty shops. Sora focused his eyes and read out the item and ware shop signs. A radiant sunset was far in the sky, beyond a massive clock tower that loomed over the market areas. The more Sora saw, the more certain he was.

"This is…"

"Twilight Town, no doubt about it," Mickey whispered.

"Wak! It _is_ Twilight Town!" Donald gasped.

"Does that mean the Nobodies are here?" Goofy wondered.

"Doesn't seem like it," Kairi noted. "There's no one here. Not even the townspeople…"

Sora nodded in agreement. The shops were all boarded shut. Despite being on the tram rails and near the station, none of the trams were active. Sora suddenly remembered the trio of kids that were here when Donald, Goofy, and he visited in the past. In a mix of emotions, Sora could not decide whether or not he wished to meet Haynor, Pence, and Olette. The gloomy, lifeless environment seemed unfitting for the energetic trio. But at the same time, Sora wondered about their security, about whether or not the three Twilight Town natives were safe.

Uncomfortable with the situation, Sora still had to choose. Should he figure out how he and the others were transported to Twilight Town to begin with? What happened to Costa Island? Where were all the denizens of Twilight Town? Where were the Nobodies? The questions were endless. As Sora and Donald were the first to lose their patience—Goofy was bemused, as usual—Kairi and King Mickey remained relatively collected.

"Donald, Goofy, come with me," Mickey suddenly said. "Sora, you and Kairi do some explorin', too. Somethin' fishy's goin' on here."

As Kairi went on to join with Sora, a dark puddle—similar to the one that swallowed up Sora and her up on Destiny Islands—formed beneath the feet of Mickey, Donald, and Goofy, quickly sucking in the hapless royal trio. Without even a second's worth of time to fight back, they vanished. When Sora and Kairi realized what had happened, it was already too late.

"Sora, what's happening?" Kairi asked helplessly.

"I-I… I don't know…" Sora stammered.

If he recalled correctly, soon after Kairi and he fell into one of those dark puddles, they encountered Sarlix for the first time. Feeling a rise of fury within him, Sora yelled out.

"Sarlix!" he roared. "Is it you? Are you out there?!"

As the dark puddle faded away, two figures stood in its place. As Sora guessed, it was the two Nobody commanders. In blind rage, the Keyblade master charged forward with the Oblivion angled straight toward the idle Nobodies.

But there was something strange about the scene. Kairi took note of this after Sarlix and Xymgrel came into full view. At first, her reaction was similar to Sora's; she only experienced anger and spite. But after a moment, after Sora propelled himself forward, Kairi became aware of something. The Nobodies were grounded. They did not move. Or it seemed like they _could not_ move.

"Sora, wait!" Kairi cried out.

The urgency in Kairi's voice forced Sora into a complete stop. Bewildered, Sora glanced behind him at Kairi—who was running up to join him—then quickly back at the two Nobodies. It was then he noticed the oddness of this sight. Normally, when he encountered Sarlix, the female Nobody would only demonstrate her appallingly talkative and sarcastic nature. Xymgrel, conversely, would display his constant apathy and ignorance for any trivial matters at hand. Yet this time both Nobodies were mute, completely motionless.

Sora hesitantly approached the Nobodies. On closer inspection, he was shocked to find the Nobodies bound by some faintly visible spell. Neither Nobody was able to speak, let alone move any body part. Both, however, were struggling in some way. Reluctantly, Sora tried his best in loosening the bindings with his Keyblade. Likewise, Kairi did the same. Within minutes, the two Nobody commanders were liberated.

"You helped us…" Sarlix murmured with a rare seriousness in her voice. She coughed quietly, but quickly cleared her throat. "I don't think I've ever been this glad to see you two."

"Wait, so you two _didn't_ take away Donald, Goofy, and the king?" Sora inquired exasperatedly. He was almost certain the Nobodies were responsible.

"What? Why would we…" Xymgrel groaned as he massaged his neck and wrists.

"This is a trap, if you haven't realized yet," Sarlix warned hastily. "All set up by Maleficent."

"Um…" Sora and Kairi mumbled simultaneously, drawing out their Keyblades.

"It's not us!" Sarlix added at once in defense.

The panic that sounded in Sarlix's voice was starting to get to Sora. For once, he was almost wholly persuaded by the Nobody's theatrics. He took a deep breath and calmed himself.

"You wanna explain what's goin' on here?" Sora asked.

Sarlix and Xymgrel scanned the vicinity with speed. They suddenly drew their weapons. Sarlix had her scepter and Xymgrel had his rapier. The sudden change in actions drew suspicion from Sora again.

"No time," Xymgrel growled as his eyes continued to search.

"They're here," said Sarlix.

Sora and Kairi each suddenly felt an overwhelming weight within their minds. To Sora, this was a familiar feeling. However, this was the first time Kairi experienced such a force. Regardless, both Keyblade-wielders buckled down and dropped to their knees. The Keyblades were dropped as the two teens planted their hands on their heads, attempting to ease the migraines in futility.

Sarlix and Xymgrel stood by, powerless as dark entities began streaming out from the hidden corners of the district. The Heartless commenced their assault. Shortly, the monstrous shadows of Syx and Grymox loomed over the two Nobodies and the crippled Keyblade-wielders.


	84. Nobodies Versus Heartless

**Chapter LXXXIV:**

Syx was the first to descend. The beastly creature lifted the besieged Sora off the ground with her serrated claws. With a free hand clenched to form a makeshift blade, the Heartless commander wound up for a fatal blow.

"Hey! Are we not good enough for you or something?"

A severely annoyed Syx glared at Sarlix, who attempted to lure the Heartless away with her taunts. However, unlike the weaker Heartless that began swarming around the two Nobody commanders, the enhanced Heartless commanders could not be easily swayed by tactics of diversion. Syx devoted only a few moments to her Nobody half.

"_The mistress has granted us permission to completely exterminate you both after we deal with the Keyblade-wielders,_" said Syx. "_Unless you wish to die sooner._"

Xymgrel easily knocked aside the Shadow Heartless that began to pounce upon Sarlix and him. However, regardless of their situation, Sarlix smirked as the few seconds she managed to waste with Syx was enough to give Sora a chance to recover his mentality and strength. With lightning-fast speed, the Keyblade master called back the Oblivion and immediately followed with a clean slash across the Heartless commander's chest. Howling in pain, Syx slid back a few feet to escape further cuts from the mighty Keyblade.

"Sora…!" Kairi called out as she also managed to stabilize herself. She fired out a bolt of lightning that cleared away the weaker Heartless that approached her.

It was a warning. Before Sora could recover from his attack against Syx, the other Heartless commander, Grymox, seized him by his hood and slammed the Keyblade master through a nearby shop window. Protecting himself from the impact, Sora covered himself with a quick Reflect spell. Shattered pieces of glass bounced off of the shield, as did razor-sharp splinters and chipped bricks.

Taking advantage of Grymox's attention on Sora, Kairi dashed off in an attempt to finish off the wounded Syx. However, the male Heartless commander was fully aware of Sora's safe landing, and thus proceeded to block off Kairi's path.

"_Too slow,_" Grymox droned.

Unsheathing a deadly lance, Grymox mercilessly lunged forward at Kairi. The girl barely had enough time to defend herself, but Kairi was still able to hold up the Oathkeeper in the nick of time, parrying aside the brutal strike from the Heartless commander.

"_Oh, she improved,_" Syx noted.

"That is just _not_ fair!" Kairi protested as she found herself staring at the two monstrous Heartless that overshadowed her.

"_All's fair in love and war,_" Syx sneered. "_Especially in war._"

The two Heartless propelled themselves toward Kairi with incredible speed. There was no time for Kairi to think her way out of the scenario and there was no time for her to evade the attacks. Syx's outstretched demonic claws were only a few yards away and closing. Grymox's deadly lance was fully extended, blazing forward without signs of slowing. Kairi felt sweat loosening her grip on the Oathkeeper.

"Don't just stand there!" a gruff voice called out.

From the corner of Kairi's eyes, Xymgrel's figure came into view. The Nobody sprinted forward and cut in between the two Heartless and Kairi's path, much to Kairi's astonishment. Xymgrel successfully countered Grymox's lance with his own rapier, but he was open for any attack from Syx. Such was the case. Right away, the female Heartless commander effortlessly bashed aside the Nobody with her beastly claws. Shaking herself to her senses, Kairi leapt up in hopes of repaying Xymgrel for his actions.

Airborne for a split second, Kairi drilled her Keyblade into Grymox's shoulder. The Heartless was momentarily defenseless due to the recoil from his blocked attack. Snarling in pain, the dark creature grabbed Kairi by the waist with his colossal hand, tearing the Keyblade out at the same time. Caught off guard, Kairi mentally cursed her lack of attention.

By now, Sora was already well on his way back into the fray. Seeing Kairi in the clutches of Grymox prompted the Keyblade master to charge forward with all his strength. Noticing Sora's presence, Syx bypassed the injured Xymgrel and blocked off Sora's access to Grymox and Kairi. However, before Sora could launch an attack of his own, a dark green energy beam cleanly struck Syx on the side, launching the Heartless off into a nearby building. Temporarily stopping, Sora heaved a sigh as he wordlessly thanked Sarlix for the assistance.

Slashing away the remaining Heartless underlings that impeded him, Sora wasted no time in reaching Grymox and Kairi. But then as he was about to attack, Sora quickly called off the Oblivion as Grymox hurled Kairi directly at him. Bracing himself, Sora caught Kairi in midair, though the momentum inevitably drove him into the ground. Groaning from the rough collision, the two teens wobbled back onto their feet.

"Any trouble holding those two off while I was stuck?" Sora asked, finding a peculiar moment to joke in.

"Just a little, I guess…" said Kairi. "But Xymgrel helped. Is he okay…?"

"I really hope he's okay, too," Sora could not help but say.

Not too far off, Xymgrel also staggered back upright. He muttered something to himself when he made eye contact with Sora and Kairi.

"I really don't get how you two lasted so long when all you do is stand around doin' nothing!" Xymgrel finally griped. He shifted his grip on his rapier before focusing on Grymox. "I guess I have a score to settle with my Heartless half, eh?"

"We'll help!" Sora called out.

"Not this round," Xymgrel grumbled as he dashed toward Grymox. "This is _my_ fight now!"

Sora and Kairi helplessly watched the one-on-one duel between two split entities. Sora had a difficult time grasping the concept that Xymgrel and Grymox spawned from the same person. The only way he could relate was with his battle against Roxas at one point. But even then, it was between his Nobody and him, not between his Nobody and his Heartless.

As if the stage was purposely set for the fight between the leaders of the Heartless and the leaders of the Nobodies, the lesser Heartless faded away, as if granting Grymox this deathmatch.

The entire time, however, it seemed that Grymox held the advantage. The Heartless commander was far more powerful in terms of physique. After trading multiple blows, Grymox continued to stand strong while Xymgrel was on the brink of defeat.

Sarlix quietly made her way next to Sora and Kairi, watching as her companion suddenly fell onto one knee, gasping for breath. The female Nobody had a solemn expression, her being seemingly devoid of any light-heartedness or her usual cynicism.

"Guess I should help him, huh?" the Nobody whispered, more to herself.

"Why don't you call out your Nobodies?" Sora asked. "I think anything can help at this point."

"You won't understand what we've went through," Sarlix murmured. She scoffed. "Our Heartless halves… Maleficent… oh, I can say they got Xymgrel and me pretty good."

"So that means…" Kairi said slowly.

"We're pretty much runnin' empty," Sarlix said with a heavy sigh, tapping her scepter against her leg. "Only our innate abilities are left over. We're at the end—"

"Wait!" Sora protested.

"Hey, tough guy, I've got something you can chew on over here!" Sarlix roared out in a tone of fury Sora never heard before.

Grymox briefly glanced at Sarlix. The moment was enough for Sarlix to fire off a powerful orb of dark magic, directly striking the center of Grymox's chest. The Heartless commander skidded back a few yards from the impact and appeared incapacitated.

Sarlix heaved another heavy sigh as she dropped her scepter on the ground. She dragged herself over to Xymgrel, who was still slouched over with one knee on the ground. His rapier hung loosely between his fingers. A cruel gash stretched across the nape of Xymgrel's neck all the way to the center of his abdomen. The wound on the ethereal body glowed with vivid white light.

Sora winced at the sight, but he made his way over to the two Nobody commanders. Kairi, shaking her head in sorrow, followed slowly. The two Keyblade-wielders—even with all the suspicions they had of the two Nobodies—could not consider them enemies any longer. When Sora and Kairi stood before the two Nobodies, the scene brought out a dry chuckle from Sarlix.

"Oh, gee, this seems awfully pathetic, doesn't it?" Sarlix said with yet another sigh.

"What does?" Xymgrel grunted. "The fact that you won't even let me finish a fight? What does a guy have to do to earn any dignity around here?"

"No, I'm talking about these two kids," Sarlix grumbled.

Sora and Kairi glanced at each other. Usually, Sora was able to counter Sarlix's comments with his own. However, this time he remained quiet, allowing the Nobodies to have their say.

"What's with those looks?" Sarlix continued.

"…You're gonna be okay there?" Sora asked Xymgrel hesitantly.

"Yeah, why not?" the male Nobody grumbled. "Look at this light that's comin' out of me. Makes you wonder, doesn't it? Whether we're beings of light or darkness?"

"It turns out we're neither, right?" Sarlix added. "Us Nobodies. Shunned by both the light and the darkness."

"Nobodies. Nothingness."

"Just a body and a soul put together."

"Looking for our hearts."

"But we're no Heartless."

"Emotionless, maybe."

"But are we heartless?"

Sarlix and Xymgrel continued their relay of philosophical inquiries. Sora and Kairi simply stood in their place, unable to offer anything constructive.

"It's funny," Sarlix suddenly said. The words seemed to be directed toward the two Keyblade-wielders. "After some researching, it's said that virtually all Nobodies are born in the Realm of Nothingness… or at least in a world that represents the realm."

"Like here: Twilight Town," Xymgrel added. "Or Castle Oblivion. Or where we were born: Costa Island."

Xymgrel examined the gash that extended across a great portion of his body. Small light particles began to dissipate from the wound.

"Did you know that Nobodies can feel pain?" Xymgrel suddenly asked.

"Sort of, I guess…" said Sora.

"You know, this… this cut here," Xymgrel said, motioning with his hands. "It kinda stings."

"Yeah, I would think so…" Sora responded somberly.

As each second ticked away, the light that radiated from Xymgrel's wound gradually began enveloping the Nobody's body. Particles of light continued to rise and fade into the air.

"It's a dream, I would think," Sarlix started. "To be considered a denizen of the light."

"Maybe we're special," Xymgrel scoffed, as the light continued to cover him. "Like Roxas and Naminé…"

"Who knows?" Sarlix sighed. "Looks like we still have an unsolved mystery at our hands."

"Let's just say we're special Nobodies," Xymgrel grumbled.

"Sure."

"Hey, kid."

Sora blinked a couple of times as he listened carefully to Xymgrel.

"Yeah?" said Sora.

At this point, the only sign of Xymgrel's existence was the brightly glowing white silhouette of his bulky figure. Starting from the tips of the fingers and the edges of the feet, his figure began to dissolve into a myriad of light particles. Gradually, after the hands and feet dissipated, so did the arms and the legs. Eventually, Xymgrel's torso began to swirl into the air in the form of dancing particles. And slowly, but surely, the head began to fade.

"Tell the king," his voice echoed. "That I'm sorry… again—"

The request was broken off as the last remnants of Xymgrel floated off and disappeared into the clear atmosphere. The Nobody—the being epitomized as one of nothingness—was now nonexistent. Gone. Merely a memory.

Sora continued to stare at the empty spot that Xymgrel was just resting on. His memories suddenly surged forth, bringing back the images of the slain Organization XIII members. Each one eventually met the same fate. Axel. Saïx. Xemnas. All of them—each disappeared into nothingness. Xymgrel was the latest one to fall. While Sora and Kairi retained their somber expressions, Sarlix went off and retrieved her scepter.

"Hey, Sarlix, he—I mean," Sora started mumbling. "Is this…?"

"When I consider how my light is spent, ere half my days, in this dark world and wide, and that one talent which is death to hide, lodged with me useless, though my soul more bent to serve therewith my maker…"

Sarlix mumbled these words before pointing her scepter toward a collapsed building. As suspected, her Heartless counterpart could not have been defeated with a simple bolt of magic. Syx slowly emerged from the rubble and glanced briefly at Grymox, who remained motionless on the ground, before gliding menacingly toward Sarlix. Sora and Kairi raised their Keyblades and readied themselves for another battle. However, Sarlix had other ideas.

"Thousands at his bidding speed and post o'er the land and ocean without rest: they also serve who only stand and wait."

With a flick of her scepter, Sarlix sped forward to match her Heartless half. Simultaneously, Sora and Kairi felt their minds convulse. With a sigh of defeat, Sora knew Sarlix wanted to face Syx on her own. Unable to fight in his condition—even with Kairi's—the Keyblade master succumbed to the Nobody's powers before collapsing onto the ground.

"She…" Kairi whispered as she fell alongside Sora. "Why is she… doing this?"

"I'll never understand them…" Sora whispered in response as he made every effort to get back up.

Looking up, the two Keyblade-wielders could only see a frenzy of magic versus brawn. Syx ceaselessly raked her claws through the air, grabbing every opportunity to tear Sarlix down. At the same time, the Nobody commander focused all her energy on pinpointing beams of dark magic at the beastly Heartless. Occasionally, Syx would roar out in pain as Sarlix's barrage of attacks struck the Heartless in the head and chest. But in opposition, Sarlix continuously suffered brutal blows from Syx's ruthless and mighty assaults.

In similar fashion to the duel between Xymgrel and Grymox, the battle between the two split entities appeared to be a stalemate, with neither side willing to back down. But like the duel between Xymgrel and Grymox, the Nobody was the first to experience fatigue.

"_Incomplete._"

That was what Syx declared for all to hear.

"And neither are you Heartless," Sarlix countered with a smirk.

"_Yet you Nobodies continue to lie to yourselves with your false emotions,_" Syx retorted. "_It will be your downfall._"

"Then my fate is sealed!" Sarlix cried out.

Spinning her glowing scepter, the Nobody leapt into the air before deliberately ramming the weapon into the ground. Breaking apart the loose foundation, Sarlix released her essence into this act, unleashing an attack that involved her whole being.

An explosive ripple of green energy completely eradicated the immediate vicinity. The attack was so dangerously close to where Sora and Kairi were that the two teens feared they were about to be taken down as well. The blinding and burning light forced the Keyblade-wielders to seek shelter. Entering an empty building with Kairi, Sora slammed the door behind him as the building shook violently from the explosion's aftershock.

Huddling close to each other for support, Sora and Kairi silented waited for the chaos to die down. They did not have to wait long. Soon, the relentless quaking ended and the blinding light that enveloped a great portion of Twilight Town faded away, signaling the clearance to head back outside.

Back outside, Sora was not surprised with what he saw. The pavement that once covered the district was blown off to the side, leaving a desolate crater in the center of the town. The tram rails that used to line the streets were torn off as if they were mere pieces of string. Broken glass, splintered pieces of lumber, jagged remnants of bricks, and warped metal beams littered the area. As Sora and Kairi made their way toward the deep crater, they saw her.

Sarlix was at the center of it all.

"It's what happens when you put your whole being into an attack, right?" Sora asked.

"I guess?" Sarlix answered weakly.

"I thought so," Sora murmured with a slight nod. "You're not the first one who tried this."

"You're not so bad, kid," the Nobody said with a chuckle. "Too bad we couldn't have started off on the same side…"

"Is it true, though?" Kairi suddenly asked. "That all the emotions you show are just lies to yourself?"

The Nobody remained lying in the center of the dusty crater. Feebly, she dragged her right hand to her chest, as if feeling out her nonexistent heart. Within a second, her hand began to fade away. Chuckling to herself again, Sarlix slowly closed her eyes.

"Who knows?" she responded. "There is still so much we don't know. Perhaps we do have emotions, but we just can't recognize them. What is happiness? Sadness? Love? Hate? Maybe we Nobodies only show these traits because we once had hearts…"

"What do you feel then?" Sora asked. "Just because you think that's how Nobodies are _supposed_ to act doesn't mean you gotta be the same, right?"

"Ah, you got me there," Sarlix said with a sigh. The lower portion of her body, as well as her arms, had already dissipated. "But I really don't know. I don't know what feelings are, unfortunately."

Slowly, but surely, the Nobody was almost completely gone. Sora and Kairi both grew silent as they could not do anything but watch, just as they were when Xymgrel faded away.

"It's fine," Sarlix added as her face began to disappear. Only her voice sounded through the air. "You two can carry on our knowledge until the end of time. Do us a favor and live on—!"

The last few light particles floated off into the sky, and with them, the last few remnants of Sarlix's existence. All that was left was the massive crater and the scattered pieces of rubble that dotted the streets of Twilight Town. Sora sat down on the edge of the crater and rubbed his forehead in thought. Kairi remained standing, and her eyes were still locked onto Sarlix's final resting spot.

"They didn't turn out to be bad at the end, did they?" Sora asked out loud.

Kairi did not answer vocally, but she did shake her head in response.

She remained in thought. She tried her best to reach into her own heart. She wanted to contact Naminé. She wanted to ask her own Nobody counterpart so many questions. She wanted to understand more. But before long, her trance was broken when Sora stood back up again and took her hand.

"Let's go," the Keyblade master announced solemnly. "We still have to find Riku… and now even Donald, Goofy, and King Mickey."

"Yeah, you're right, Sora," Kairi answered. "Let's—"

A peculiar sound echoed from beneath the crater. A low-pitched growl rumbled from nearby. Sora and Kairi looked at their respective Keyblades in alarm.

From beneath the ashy crater, the familiar razor-sharp claws of Syx tore through. All four arms ripped apart the dry earth that covered the Heartless. Like a reanimated corpse, Syx dug her way out from her underground prison.

From under a massive pile of rubble, a great lance cut apart a chunk of concrete, blasting the broken pavement by Sora and Kairi. Soon, the fiery eyes of Grymox radiated from within the wall of debris. With a hideous roar, the Heartless stretched his monstrous head from his rocky cell.

Within moments, the two Heartless commanders landed back on their feet. Though covered with wounds, the insidious creatures displayed no signs of tameness. Sora and Kairi shifted their grips and prepared their Keyblades.

"I never thought I'd say this," Sora said to Kairi. "But let's finish this… for Xymgrel and Sarlix."

"I was thinking the same thing," Kairi answered.

The girl was fired up and Sora could tell. Kairi had a unique expression on her face. It was one Sora could recognize anywhere. Kairi's eyes burned passionately. Her mouth was tightly shut in focus. Her hands turned pale from clenching her weapon. It was the sign of a warrior.

Sora smiled. It was time.

Kairi smiled back. She was eager. She was ready.


	85. Third Reunion

_Yeah, I know a lot of people are waiting for Kairi to start beating the living daylights out of everything... but that'll have to wait.  
_

**

* * *

Chapter LXXXV:**

Though Sora and Kairi were truthfully in Twilight Town, Maleficent was the one overseeing the entire escapade. With her wicked magic, she was able to create a passageway of emptiness between Costa Island and Twilight Town. Linking the two worlds, Maleficent was omniscient.

A sinister smile curled across her gaunt face as she witnessed the fall of the two Nobody commanders. For a moment, she feared that Sarlix was able to take out Syx in that final attack of desperation. But when both her Heartless commanders rose from the ashes, Maleficent was already imagining her victory. The Nobodies were virtually completely out of her way. All that was left was Sora and Kairi…

Maleficent turned around to greet Riku. Moments ago, she used a great deal of energy in an attempt to manipulate Riku's heart as she once did before. It was the only way for her to deal with the Keyblade-wielders, even before the current war. After struggling for a while, Riku grew silent and succumbed to the sorceress's will.

"And what of those three wretched royal pests?" Maleficent asked Riku.

"In the void, the Realm of Darkness," Riku answered monotonously. "Should I see to them?"

"Do so quickly… as I have work for you yet!" Maleficent proclaimed.

Riku nodded in silence before opening a dark corridor.

"I will return shortly," the Keyblade master murmured.

Stepping into the darkness, Riku entered a pitch-black realm: the Realm of Darkness. Through Maleficent's magic, Riku gained the ability to freely access the core of all darkness, hate, and sadness. It was virtually a nesting ground for the Heartless, as small Shadows to colossal Darksides brooded in the far corners of this mysterious land. As Riku traversed further, the weight of darkness escalated exponentially.

Soon, however, a small glimmering light was concentrated in one area, attracting numerous Heartless. Riku knew well enough what the source was, and he made his way over along with the Heartless. Out of disgust, he used his Keyblade to swat away the ones that moved too close to him.

Heartless continued to dissipate around him as he walked closer to the light. Mickey was gracefully cutting aside rogue Heartless. Donald was firing off potent waves of spells to keep back the dark creatures. Goofy was pounding aside the creeping Heartless with his heavy shield. In all the commotion, it seemed that the royal trio failed to notice Riku's presence. However, once Riku finally made his way over, an enraged Donald was the first to speak.

"Riku, how _could_ you?!" the duck screeched.

Without thinking, Donald unleashed endless barrages of Fire, Blizzard, Thunder, Aero, Water, and Magnet spells at Riku, hoping at least one spell could pin the Keyblade master down. But with ease, Riku smoothly evaded each attempt as he knelt down in front of Mickey.

"Riku…" the mouse king whispered as he kept his Keyblade in front.

Riku raised his head and made direct eye contact with Mickey. There was this feeling in Mickey's heart that brought about a wave of relief, cleaning off the downtrodden expression from his face.

"Riku…!" Mickey said again, this time more animatedly. "You're okay!"

Donald and Goofy exchanged looks. The duck mage was still unconvinced.

"But that doesn't explain why you trapped all of us here in the darkness!"

"I'm sorry, you guys…" Riku said quietly as he got back on his feet. "I had to, or else Maleficent wouldn't have believed me."

Riku explained how the evil sorceress attempted to twist his heart, how Maleficent tried to poison his mind with her baseless words. It was almost like a hypnosis session. Knowing that he had no way out of the situation, Riku decided to _act_ as if he gave into Maleficent's powers. Luckily for him, the performance worked.

"Maybe Maleficent sensed the darkness that you held within you all this time," Mickey thought out loud. "Maybe it was enough to throw her off guard."

"Maybe," said Riku. "But come on, you have to get out of here while you can. We'll share more formal greetings later. The darkness here is far too strong—"

"I'm in no position to be using the Corridors of Darkness, Riku," Mickey explained.

"Then let me."

Riku opened up a dark portal right where the group was standing. Instantly, nearby Heartless began swarming around them, struggling to reach the portal and pour into the outside worlds. Beating aside the relentless Heartless, Riku urged the royal trio to hurry out.

"But what are you gonna say to Maleficent?" Goofy wondered as he was stretched one foot into the void.

"You all escaped," Riku responded quickly. "It's that simple. She knows the king has such powers. Don't worry about me, it's no big deal."

Donald and Goofy nodded before diving through Riku's portal. Mickey hesitated for a moment before facing the Keyblade master.

"Sora and Kairi could probably use some help… you know where they are," Riku continued. "I'll report back to Maleficent and join you later."

Mickey also nodded in agreement before following Donald and Goofy through the portal. As soon as the king vanished from view, Riku quickly summoned an alternate portal out of the Realm of Darkness. Before the Heartless could overtake him, the Keyblade master stepped through and back into Maleficent's stronghold.

The meeting took less than half an hour, but it was enough to arouse suspicions. Maleficent turned around to face Riku as the Keyblade master reappeared before her in a bowed posture.

"That took some time, Riku," the sorceress murmured. "Is something the matter…?"

Riku remained on one knee and he made no movements.

"It looks like they've escaped," Riku announced. "I was searching the whole time, but I could not sense them."

"I see," Maleficent murmured again.

The sorceress paced around her throne room, tapping her scepter on the cold floor as she remained in thought. The wordlessness gnawed at Riku. His eyes stayed averted from Maleficent, but he knew the sorceress was suspicious. Once in a while, Maleficent would check on her Heartless commanders' progress with Sora and Kairi. Magical panels dotted the walls, showing the battle between her Heartless and the two teens from different perspectives.

When Riku glanced at the panels, Maleficent immediately took notice. The Keyblade master silently cursed himself for his carelessness. However, Maleficent seemed to ignore the matter—at least for the moment. Riku kept his eyes focused on the ground, his head still bowed, his body still hunched over on one knee.

"Do you suppose," Maleficent said as she continued to walk around the room and around Riku. "The king was able to use the corridors?"

"It's very probable. I don't doubt the possibility," Riku answered quietly. He looked up and faced Maleficent's expressionless face. "Let me go look for them."

"Oh, not quite yet," Maleficent countered. She took another look at her magical panels. "I have somethi—"

Riku followed Maleficent's gaze over to the panels. As he looked on, his jaw slowly dropped.

They were faster than he had expected. Mickey, Donald, and Goofy were already in the fray as Maleficent and he were watching. It seemed like the tides had turned before their eyes.

"Well, now, how intriguing…" Maleficent said with a sneer. "Your wish has been granted, Riku. Go to them."

_Seriously?_ Riku thought to himself.

Perhaps he was being overly cautious, but either Maleficent genuinely trusted him or the sinister sorceress had something else up her sleeves. But this was his chance to reunite with Sora and Kairi after so long. Half of him yearned for the meeting, while the other half wished to remain unseen.

If Maleficent was really planning something diabolical, Riku decided that if he was alongside Sora and Kairi, he could fight. They could all fight. There was a chance that in a matter of time, everything could come together. All their battles, their struggles, and all their pain and sorrows—all of it could soon come full circle.

Riku gave the sinister Maleficent a slight nod before disappearing into a newly summoned portal. Silently, he faded from sight.

"Follow him," Maleficent commanded.

From the shadows, another entity showed up. Its demonic horns highlighted its silhouette for a short moment, but faded into a portal as soon as Riku's closed up. With one more glance at her magic panels, Maleficent also dissolved through the air, leaving nothing but green and purple smog in her wake.

Traversing through the void, Riku began to hear sounds and voices. Combat sounds. Explosions. Clashing metal. Battle cries. Everything was mixed into a unique cacophony. As soon as light emerged at the end of the tunnel, and as soon as everything came into view—

Time seemed to slow tenfold.

They both seemed to be looking at him. Right when Riku leapt and spun out of his dark portal, their eyes seemed to bear in on him. Riku's eyes immediately focused on Sora and Kairi. The two younger Keyblade-wielders were separated, but their eyes seemed to immediately lock onto his. Also separated were Mickey, Donald, and Goofy. They were spread far apart, but they were doing all they could to assist Sora and Kairi. The two Heartless commanders, Syx and Grymox, craned their muscular necks in Riku's direction before resuming their relentless assaults against the warriors of light.

"Riku…" Sora gasped, completely dropping his guard and losing his momentum.

"R-Riku!" Kairi cried out, simultaneously losing her form and posture.

Instantaneously, Grymox and Syx smashed their masses into Sora and Kairi, respectively, sending them crashing into nearby buildings. The powerful blows temporarily stunned Riku and the royal trio. In incomparable fury, Riku launched himself forward, his Way to the Dawn reared back and ready to cleave the first target that may come in range.

Mickey, Donald, and Goofy regrouped as quickly as they could and followed in Riku's path of rage. The two Heartless stood their ground, their menacing glares drilling into the pursuing warriors' hearts.

Sora was the first to limp out from the rubble. He spat on the ground as he cursed himself for dropping his guard, despite how Riku's presence suddenly surprised him. As sparks flew from Riku's Keyblade, Sora momentarily zoned out in his best friend's company. But time was a luxury, and Sora knew he definitely could not loiter.

Nearby crackling noises caught Sora's attention. In a few seconds, though, he heaved a sigh of relief. Kairi, completely battered up, still managed to burrow her way out from the heavy stone blocks and jagged planks of wood. Quickly casting a proficient Cure spell on herself, Kairi took a deep breath before facing Sora.

"You don't look so good," she managed to joke.

"Speak for yourself," Sora countered.

Rotating his Keyblade a couple of times, Sora also conjured a Cure spell to mend his troublesome injuries.

"Riku…" Kairi whispered.

"Yeah," Sora whispered in return. "Looks like he's okay."

With a mutual smile and a quick decision, Sora and Kairi dashed back to where their friends were. Syx and Grymox seemed to be fully occupied with Riku's frenzied attacks, which allowed Sora and Kairi to sneak up unnoticed.

"Not… quite… yet!" a hollow voice called out when Sora and Kairi prepared to launch a synchronized attack.

Sora could recognize that voice anywhere. Helplessly—and reluctantly—stopping in his tracks, he turned toward the source of the voice. He guessed correctly, as the evil Maleficent stood on the edge of a nearby building. Next to her stood a shade of some sort—a demonic and hideous being, highlighted by its two horns and skeletal limbs. Was it a Heartless? It was probably the most logical assumption. Regardless, Sora dreaded the idea of facing another foe similar to Syx and Grymox.

While Riku, Mickey, Donald, and Goofy were keeping the two Heartless commanders busy, Sora and Kairi approached Maleficent and her new fiendish henchman. The closer the two Keyblade-wielders drew, the more menacing Maleficent appeared.

"That Riku thought he could outsmart me," Maleficent said with a cackle. "But I am the one who remains in control!"

"It doesn't matter what Riku did, Maleficent," Sora shouted in response. "We beat you before and we'll do it again!"

Sora and Kairi pointed their Keyblades at Maleficent and her underling. Striking back with a vindictive smirk, Maleficent gestured for her minion to face the two teens.

"Now that I have all the wielders of the Keyblades together," the sorceress announced. "My Heartless, my Horned King… crush them all!"

Cackling nefariously, Maleficent soared into the silent sky in a pillar of green flame. On cue, Syx and Grymox began retaliating against Riku and the royal trio with drastically higher power, catching the warriors off guard. A brand new battle began.

Sora and Kairi briefly checked on their friends' situation in alarm. When they were certain everyone was still strong and well, they returned to face the Horned King.

From a distance, the demonic being appeared ragged and fragile. But up close, though the Horned King retained his tattered appearance, it was for good reason. Sora's eyes widened as he examined his new foe more closely. The Horned King was much more similar to an actual undead—a lich of some sort—than a mere shade; and fear instantly struck the two Keyblade-wielders.

"Darkness… power…" the fiend muttered slowly and raspingly. "Power of the heart…"

"Sora, who is this guy…?" Kairi asked, fidgeting and constantly changing her grip on the Oathkeeper. "Or… _what_ is this guy?"

"Beats me…" Sora whispered. He gripped his Keyblade more intensely. "Careful though, he doesn't have any weapons… he must be hidin' something."

"Power…!" the Horned King's menacing voice echoed through the air.

Raising both skeletal arms above his head, the Horned King began gathering green globs of energy in each palm. The appearance of the magic seemed vaguely analogous to Maleficent's. Acknowledging the similarities, Sora and Kairi shifted their feet, readying themselves to leap out of the way at any moment.


	86. Holy Consumption

**Chapter LXXXVI:**

Swathed in darkness, Sora and Kairi were isolated from Riku and the others just moments after seeing each other again. Unable to pinpoint the Horned King's location, the two Keyblade-wielders had to keep their defense fine-tuned. Periodically, a bolt of energy tore through the darkness and hurtled toward the young warriors, prompting them to leap out of the way.

As soon as Sora evaded one attack, he quickly rebounded to fire off a counterattack in the direction of his invisible foe. It seemed like an inefficient way to fight, but there appeared to be no alternatives at the time.

"Ugh, where is he…?" Sora muttered to himself. "What a coward!"

Kairi was nearby, but Sora could barely see her. The only evidence he had was the dim, fiery glow that continuously radiated from Kairi's Oathkeeper. Suddenly, another orb of energy shattered on the ground where Kairi was standing. The girl quickly avoided the attack by sidestepping back to Sora.

"I can't even see him charging his attacks," Kairi mumbled. "Any plans, Sora?"

_Split up?_ Sora thought to himself. He was somewhat apprehensive. In this dark environment, he could easily lose touch with Kairi if they wandered too far apart. _Rush in? No… keep waiting?_

"I just wish I could light this whole place up," Kairi griped.

Sora looked at Kairi's Keyblade for a second. It seemed that as long as the two of them were hidden, the Horned King was unable to detect them either. Each time they were attacked, it was either because they wandered too close or because they somehow gave away their positions. Kairi was last attacked because of the glow from her Keyblade. Sora was attacked before only because he countered.

If the Horned King could not sense their presence, then there was no way the demonic being was a Heartless. Maleficent must have dug the fiend up from some forbidden crypt. The thoughts sent shivers down Sora's spine.

"It looks like he can't see us either," the Keyblade master whispered as quietly as he could.

"You're not saying we should just wait, right…?"

"It's either we wait or we split up," Sora suggested. "Sounds bad, but if one of us gets attacked by the Horned King, the other can attack back before he gets away."

"I'm up for that," Kairi declared boldly. "If there's one thing I've learned on this journey, it's to take chances as soon as you get them."

"You're right, Kairi," said Sora as he slung his Oblivion over his shoulder. "Let's go."

"Be careful, Sora!" Kairi whispered as she left Sora's side.

"You worry about yourself first!" Sora whispered back as he dashed away into the darkness.

_

* * *

Sora! Kairi!_

Riku ceaselessly scanned around the darkness, hoping to find some hint of his friends' safety. Mickey, Donald and Goofy were all at his side, the combined four of them forming a defensive circle. Syx and Grymox loomed in the shadows, invisible to their eyes.

"I sure hope they're okay," Goofy said, following a worried gulp.

"I'm sure they're okay," Mickey answered. "They only got one enemy to deal with. And there's four of us here… and we only gotta deal with two—"

Donald quickly summoned a Reflect spell around the party right when he noticed a fleeting image of Syx's glimmering claws. Periodically, the eerie glow from the Heartless commanders' eyes appeared and disappeared from view. The metal scraping sounds of Grymox's lance could be heard from time to time. As time continued to tick away, it seemed as if the Heartless were playing a psychological game with the warriors of light. Riku took note of this and gripped his Keyblade tighter in frustration.

"Can you see Sora and Kairi?" Riku asked.

"No, but I got a feelin' they're around here somewhere," said Mickey.

"I guess we have no choice but to take out these two Heartless first…"

Riku glanced at Mickey, waiting for some sign of action. Meanwhile, Syx and Grymox continued to patrol around the party. An apprehensive Goofy maintained his defensive stance. An impatient Donald directed his wand toward any unwarranted nearby movements.

"Well, shall we, Riku?" the mouse king whispered.

"You guys take on whoever I'm not aiming at then!" Riku declared as he launched himself into the unknown, twirling his Keyblade behind him with great dexterity.

"What a showoff," Donald grunted as he charged out as well.

"C'mon, Goofy, there's no time to lose!" Mickey called out, speeding off after Donald.

* * *

Sora and Kairi unknowingly positioned themselves right across from each other. Separated by an immeasurable length of abyssal space, they could only see darkness to their left and right, in front of them and behind them.

There was no way for either one of them to signal to the other without alerting the Horned King. First things first, they had to figure out some method to detect their foe.

_If I do this, hopefully the Horned King will see me,_ Sora began to plot. _And maybe Kairi can use that as a chance._

Preparing to use himself as bait, Sora charged a weak Fire spell into his Keyblade. The faint burn illuminated a small radius around the Keyblade master…

But surprisingly, another glimmer of light caught Sora's attention. It was not the eerie glow from the Horned King's magic, but one similar to Sora's.

It had to be Kairi. Unfortunately the two Keyblade-wielders conceived the same ideas at the same time.

It would have been a workable plan, had only one of them attempted to lure out the Horned King. But because they simultaneously gave away their positions, the undead fiend slipped away into the shadows, only to reemerge behind the neighboring Kairi. Sora felt his heartbeats abruptly stop when he noticed the skeletal hands that materialized above the girl's head.

"Kairi, behind you!" Sora hollered out as he charged forward into a sprint.

"The wench is mine…" the Horned King snarled.

There was no way he could do anything. Sora was too far away. There was no time for him to launch a magic attack. He could not defend Kairi. The helpless feeling was triumphant; Sora felt his legs freeze in place as anxiety took over his mind.

In these passing seconds, Sora's words only gave Kairi a moment to realize her predicament. Glancing over her shoulder—her hands still tightly bound to the Oathkeeper—Kairi felt a fleeting breath of air leave her mouth as she mustered a gasp of surprise. It was all she could manage within that short period of time. The Horned King's bony hands quickly surrounded Kairi's neck, the fiend's lengthy fingers snaking their way around her vulnerable throat.

Sora broke into a run. There were no other choices. Blindly charging toward Kairi and the Horned King, Sora saw nothing before him aside from the image of him taking down the undead fiend. He already had it pictured. Kairi _will_ be safe.

Meanwhile, within these few seconds that slowly ticked away, Kairi had one hand tugging powerlessly at the skeletal fingers that were locking up her windpipe. Her other hand still gripped the Oathkeeper. Simultaneously bashing the Horned King's side with the Keyblade's hilt and pulling on the bony fingers that clasped her neck, Kairi was doing everything she physically could to save her own life. In one attempt, Kairi accurately flipped the Oathkeeper in the opposite direction. Holding the Keyblade at a new angle, she used whatever strength she had to jam the blade into the Horned King.

A disgusting ripping sound was the result. However, the force on her neck never waned. A hollow grunt echoed through the skeletal body of the Horned King, and that was all.

Not even ten seconds had passed. Sora was almost there. Kairi was still struggling, now trying to pull her Keyblade back out from the corpse-like body of the Horned King. Time was running out. The Horned King's squeezed down on Kairi's bare neck with even more intensity. Kairi felt her consciousness slip. Alerted, she struggled to conserve her energy. But what could she do?

She remembered something. It was in her pocket, sitting there since before they left Midgar. Reaching into one of her pockets, she touched it. Kairi mentally put all her faith in the orb that now rotated in between her fingers. She did not know how to use it or even what to expect of it, but she had to try.

* * *

The Heartless Grymox was already worn down from the previous fights, allowing Riku to exploit every point of weakness. The beastly Heartless still had a huge reservoir of stamina, though, forcing Riku to remain wary. The Keyblade master was far quicker than Grymox, and Riku used his agility as his base.

Nearby, the royal trio proved to be more than enough for Syx to handle. In mere moments, the two Heartless commanders were surrounded by the warriors of light—a situation completely opposite of the one earlier.

But suddenly, tremors shook the invisible ground beneath them all. As the quake grew more and more violent, the distractions allowed Syx and Grymox to leap out from their cornered states. Cursing to himself, Riku momentarily diverted his attention to his surroundings instead. Likewise, Mickey, Donald and Goofy also stopped their actions and began scanning the area around them. The Heartless commanders were nowhere in sight, but something odd was happening… or about to happen.

"What's going on?" Riku asked quietly, more to himself.

"Wak! R-run!" Donald suddenly sputtered, frantically waving his wand as he scurried off alone.

"Oh, dear…" Mickey gasped, nearly dropping his Keyblade.

"Gawrsh, what do ya suppose that is?" Goofy asked, pointing to a bright light that began shattering and breaking up the nearby darkness at an alarming rate.

As if oblivious to the potential danger, Goofy inched closer towards the light in curiosity. Seemingly everything that touched the light was swallowed up. Riku had already broken into a sprint in pursuit of Donald before he noticed the clumsy knight's stupor.

"Mickey, hurry and grab Goofy!"

"Goofy, snap out of it!" Mickey beckoned.

The endlessly expanding light continuously drew closer to the party. Goofy, only in the nick of time, shook himself awake as the light began to overpower his eyes. Mickey grabbed hold of his trusted old friend and forcefully tugged him away from the light.

Donald was much further ahead, but the duck mage had stopped to wave the rest of the group onward. Neither Heartless was in sight, but the priority was for the group to find sanctuary. Together, they paced themselves ahead of the powerful light, their legs carrying them into the unknowns of the darkness.

At the epicenter of the light, Sora managed to reach Kairi. The two teens locked hands within the seismic core of the light. Squinting through the blinding whiteness, Sora could not help but feel relief as the skeletal fingers that clenched Kairi's neck began to disintegrate. Kairi, coughing and choking, inhaled a much-needed breath of air before bringing herself into Sora's hold.

The Horned King, still struggling to attack the Keyblade-wielders, unleashed a hideous shriek of rage before dissolving into the mighty light. The rags split apart and disintegrated. The demonic horns shattered and dispersed into the light. Particles blew past Sora and Kairi until no signs of the fiend remained.

The White Materia had merged with Kairi's Oathkeeper. The Keyblade itself had disappeared into the light. Barely able to comprehend what was happening around her, Kairi figured the Keyblade must be at the center of all the chaos.

The two Keyblade-wielders continued to hold onto each other as their surroundings continued to quake and break apart. Eventually, the light and the darkness began to intermingle; pieces of Twilight Town could be seen through the cracks. The whiteness of the magnificent light suddenly shot upward, revealing the solid ground that Sora and Kairi sorely missed. Hovering above them was the great magic spell of Holy.


	87. Something to Prove

**Chapter LXXXVII:**

Sora dropped his Keyblade on the ground and stared at the waves of white light that swirled above the dense clouds. This "light" seemingly destroyed the Horned King with relative ease. The darkness that surrounded everything was shattered and the two Keyblade-wielders found themselves in the middle of Twilight Town again. There was no sign of the Horned King. The two Heartless commanders also seemed to be missing. Sora looked in all directions, hoping to catch the sight of Riku and the royal trio.

"Where's Riku? And everyone else?" Kairi asked first, also examining the immediate area.

Sora showed a subtle frown and scratched his head. He did not know, but he had a feeling everyone was nearby. A surge of uneasiness also told him that Maleficent and the Heartless were around as well.

On cue, a familiar, haunting cackle echoed in the distance. Simultaneously, bursts of Pureblood Heartless rose from the ground, surrounding Sora and Kairi. Worn down from the previous trial, the two Keyblade-wielders were in no position for another struggle. As the swarms of Heartless inched closer, the evil sorceress appeared above a nearby building through her signature green flames.

"What an amazing power display!" Maleficent sneered, directing her attention and pointing her scepter toward the hovering Holy. She turned her gaze on Kairi. "What a shame, princess—to come so far in your journey, only to fail."

_What are you talking about?_ Kairi wanted to ask.

Maleficent spread out her ragged black robes and unleashed a flurry of hideous dark magic, again changing Twilight Town's environment. The sorceress pushed her influence across, eventually overcoming the fading Holy. Unable to maintain her hold on the spell, Kairi relinquished her control, thus saving her much-needed energy. The White Materia popped out of Kairi's Oathkeeper and the Keyblade reverted back into its basic blade form.

"Stay strong, Kairi," Sora muttered, tightly wrapping his fingers around the Oblivion's hilt. "There's no telling what she's up to now."

As Maleficent continued to emit pulses of dark energy, the lands, the buildings and even the sky and clouds seemed to contract. Eventually, the world became distorted. All that remained were Sora and Kairi and a vast abyssal sea beneath them.

"I hold the power here!" Maleficent's voice screeched in the background. "My will shall be absolute. The warriors of light will fall before me…"

"Quit hiding, Maleficent!" Sora called out.

"Pathetic, little wretches!"

Sora and Kairi's Keyblades glowed brightly as the Heartless swarm from before erupted through the abyss. Bracing themselves, the two teens leaned with their backs against each other. Quickly and carefully scanning the vicinity around them, Sora and Kairi cut down the various Shadow-like Heartless that ceaselessly pounced in their direction.

A sharp pain shot through Sora's head, causing the Keyblade master to stagger for a moment. It was a familiar sensation, but by now Sora had already grown relatively immune to the serious effects, though the minor migraines were still annoying.

"Sora, what happened?" Kairi gasped in alarm as she slashed away at another Heartless.

"I'm not sure," Sora mumbled, also beating down his own share of Heartless. "It might be—"

"Sora!" voices called out. "Kairi!"

Suddenly, spinning Keyblades were seen flying through the void. Before Sora and Kairi could process anything, the snarls of the two Heartless commanders echoed from the same direction.

The emergence of Syx and Grymox quickly scattered the remaining Heartless. They appeared enraged, wild and as fierce as ever. But they appeared wounded and weakened. Logically, Riku, Mickey and the others must have worn the two Heartless commanders down. This was what Sora guessed.

"Sora!" Kairi called out.

Sora temporarily took his eyes off of the two Heartless commanders and turned to Kairi. The girl had already rushed over to the two additional Keyblades that were planted in the distorted field beneath them. Upon inspection, they were confirmed to be Riku's Way to the Dawn Keyblade and Mickey's variant of the Kingdom Key, the mouse king's Keyblade to the realm of darkness.

Grymox was the first to charge toward the preoccupied Sora. Without wasting another moment, Kairi pulled out the Way to the Dawn and quickly threw the blade directly at the charging Heartless. Noticing the looming impact, Grymox briefly held back, giving Sora just enough time to leap to the side, reach out and intercept the hurtling Keyblade. Now a dual-Keyblade-wielding warrior, Sora clashed the blades together, feeling a brand new energy rushing through his veins.

As Sora and Grymox stared each other down, Syx glided over in Kairi's direction. Slowly retrieving the Kingdom Key, Kairi never took her eyes off of her incoming opponent. The girl demonstrated her polished swordplay, twirling both the Oathkeeper and Kingdom Key in each hand. She had waited for this moment for too long. She longed for this chance ever since Destiny Islands was invaded. She longed for this chance ever since Syx easily overcame her and the two Heartless commanders captured Sora and her. She longed for this chance since Sarlix and Xymgrel fell in battle. She longed for this chance because now she has something to prove.

Sora glanced over his shoulder for a moment. Kairi had planted her feet, signifying her readiness. She smiled earnestly at him. Smiling back, Sora returned his attention to Grymox, who was slowly circling around him.

_Don't worry, Riku,_ Sora thought to himself. _I'll give this back to you as soon as Kairi and I are done._

Grymox broke from his patrol and bore down with his powerfully lance. Pushing off on one foot, Sora propelled forward without a second thought and parried away the lance with the Way to the Dawn in his left hand. Without missing a beat, the Keyblade master punched out his right hand, drilling the Oblivion through the Heartless commander's left shoulder.

Bellowing in rage, Grymox used all of his bulk to counter, knocking Sora into the air and tearing the Oblivion out at the same time. Swiftly recovering from the impact, Sora somersaulted in midair and proceeded to drive the Oblivion back into the Heartless commander's hazy body.

Though Grymox was agile for his size, as he blocked the attack with his giant lance, the Heartless was not fast enough to disrupt Sora's sequence. Recoiling off of the lance, Sora turned and used the Way to the Dawn to horizontally slash across Grymox's chest.

Faltering and off-balance, the Heartless commander backed off a few steps. But the battle was about to be decided. Foolishly, Grymox poured dark energy into the tip of his lance, preparing to fire off a magic spell at Sora. Using this opportunity to completely break through the giant Heartless commander's defenses, Sora gathered his own energy into his Oblivion. In mere moments, Grymox unleashed his potent attack in a form of a massive orb of pulsing, dark energy. Right when the spell left the tip of Grymox's lance, Sora fired off a condensed Gravity spell.

The two spells collided in midair and ended up as a magnificent explosion, momentarily creating a howling, gravitational vortex.

The Heartless commander flinched from the astonishing result and Sora took made use of the dropped guard. Launching himself forward with both Keyblades in hand, the young warrior of light crossed the weapons before him and closed in on the Heartless. Grymox hollow yellow eyes died out on contact. Sora broke into a stop behind the Heartless commander. The Oblivion and the Way to the Dawn were stretched out behind him. Dark purple smoke fizzled out from the edges of the blades and through two clean cuts extending across Grymox's back, splitting the Heartless emblem into four equal pieces. The Heartless commander rotated his head to face Sora, but began fading out into a billow of dark smoke. Moments after, a sparkling heart rose from the haze and floated off, disappearing into the void and into the unknown.

Simultaneously with Sora's dual with Grymox, Kairi wasted no time in facing off with Syx. Kairi felt far more prepared this time around in comparison with the fight on Destiny Islands. Channeling a Fire spell with the Oathkeeper in her right hand—while matching Syx strike for strike with the Kingdom Key in her left hand—Kairi quickly shifted the balance of power and began setting the pace for the dual.

After constantly bashing the Kingdom Key against Syx's extended claws, Kairi surprisingly charged into Syx's reach. The Heartless commander expected Kairi to either lean back or leap up into the air in order to release her Fire spell. Instead, Kairi directed the Oathkeeper's tip at Syx's chest at near point-blank range. Without letting a second tick by, Kairi shot out a torrent of scorching flame, easily engulfing the Heartless commander in the entirety.

Already suffering enough damage, Syx batted away the conflagration with her massive, demonic wings. Kairi knew the Heartless was not to be underestimated, but she was still surprised how her spell could not completely wear out Syx. Kairi's bewilderment nearly cost her as Syx quickly countered by beating Kairi down with one wing. Kairi only managed to survive the blow by shielding herself with both Keyblades. Relentlessly, the Heartless pounded down with claws and wings alike.

Kairi remained in a crouched position, trying her best to find a chance to retaliate. But because she was using both the Keyblades in defense, it was far more difficult to suddenly break into the offensive. Then again, she witnessed first-hand great defense being great offense before. During all the times she fought alongside Sora, there were times when defensive skills quickly transitioned to offensive sequences.

Then Kairi decided to give it her best shot. Syx continued to pound down on Kairi, attempting to use sheer force alone to achieve victory. While the giant Heartless was focusing on attacks, Kairi took the chance to focus on her guard. With perfect timing, as soon as Syx wound up in preparation to strike down on Kairi, a strong Reflect spell began to spread out.

The result was clear. The Heartless commander was unable to retract her attack, effectively recoiling off of the barrier and striking herself. Kairi promptly released the Reflect spell and proceeded to string barrages of attacks on the stunned Heartless. Syx retaliated, but without much effect. With two final strikes, Kairi pierced the emblem on Syx's chest with the Oathkeeper and drove the Kingdom Key further deeper into the Heartless commander's hollow body as a bonus.

Syx's narrow eyes remained as malicious as ever from beginning to end, even after the Heartless dissipated into a thick stream of purple smoke. A glittering heart rose out in the aftermath and disappeared into the void.

Kairi looked on in Sora's direction not too far ahead of her. The Keyblade master stood over the hazy smoke that once existed as the vicious Grymox. Likewise, Kairi looked down at her feet as the smoke that was just Syx moments ago slowly faded away. Then she looked up to where the released heart may have disappeared to. A feeling of relief rushed through her, despite her knowing that the battle was far from over.

Sora soon came by and broke Kairi from her trance. The reassuring smile that Sora offered her after a job well done was there as usual.

"You did it, Kairi," Sora said in congratulations.

Kairi merely sighed.

_You can call yourself a Keyblade master for sure now,_ Sora wanted to say. He scratched his head in consideration. "There's probably nothin' I can do now that you can't do, too. So how's it feel, Kairi?"

"I'm really tired," Kairi sighed with a hint of a giggle.

"I don't think we're done yet," said Sora.

"I know…"

"Sora! Kairi!" voices called out again.

Riku, Mickey, Donald and Goofy came out of nowhere. They appeared completely exhausted.

"Oh, thank goodness," Mickey gasped as he caught sight of the dual-wielding pair of teens before him. "You have our Keyblades."

"What took you guys?" Sora joked, nudging Riku. "You coulda helped us fight instead of just throwing your Keyblades at us!"

"We threw 'em and tried to get to you guys," Riku answered with a shrug. "But for some reason, we just kept running and running for what seemed like forever."

"Maleficent must have been keeping us from reaching you guys… somehow," Riku grumbled. "But now that you two got rid of her two best Heartless, she's on the losing side."

"Let's not jump to conclusions just yet," Kairi cut in. "It's not over 'til it's over."

Sora and Riku exchanged looks.

"What the heck did you do to her?" Riku whispered to Sora.

"Nothing! What?" Sora asked with a shrug.

"Just look at her! She definitely tougher than you and almost as tough as me now!"

Sora rolled his eyes.

"Oh, brother," Donald muttered, catching Riku's words. "Can you guys fool around _after_ we beat Maleficent?"

"Exactly," Kairi said with a giggle, playfully flicking Sora's forehead.

She attempted to do the same to Riku, but she was far too short to do so, drawing out helpless laughter from all the party members.


	88. No Illusion

**Chapter LXXXVIII:**

What is the point in trying so hard if history constantly repeats itself? If something is virtually unbeatable, then why bother to fight? If only tragedy and despair result from all the efforts, why take the abuse? Is there even a reason to put everyone else in senseless danger?

There must be peace elsewhere. Some place far away must exist in tranquility. But everyone is stuck here, now, in front of these endless threats.

Years go by and battles continue to ensue. Once the battles conclude, once the deathly silence passes, only a brief period of peace follows. And what reward is that if wars continue later on anyway? Was the fighting necessary? What if giving up and giving in is the best solution?

Is it duty? Is there such a thing as duty? Who has the right to influence your destiny? Who has the right to set your fate? Who has the right to tell you what is right and what is wrong? Is Light really the side of righteousness? Is Darkness really the cause of all evil? Must the two sides be balanced in order to achieve harmony?

It is such a hassle. Keyblades. Keyholes. Realms of Light. Darkness. In-Between. Hearts. Heartless. Nobodies. Kingdom Hearts. Why were they chosen? Why?

"Why are we the only ones fighting?" Sora asked quietly.

Everyone—Sora, Kairi, Riku, Mickey, Donald and Goofy—ran side-by-side through a hazy spiral that traversed through the void. None of them knew if they were heading in the right direction or not, but they wordlessly agreed to move nonetheless.

"Why are _you_ fighting?" Riku asked in return.

The group continued to proceed through the abyss. The Keyblade masters exchanged looks after Riku offered his question. Donald and Goofy looked at each other as well. They continued to silently pace themselves while considering Riku's question.

"I guess I have my reasons," Sora answered solemnly. "And what about you, Riku?"

Sora took his eyes off of his best friend and looked ahead, hoping to find some sort of exit. Kairi briefly glanced in his direction before checking on Riku. The taller boy was just a few feet behind Sora and her. Mickey, Donald and Goofy hurried to catch up.

"No need to think so hard, fellas!" Mickey exclaimed, attempting to lighten the mood. "Sometimes it's private, y'know? Everyone can fight for different reasons."

"What about you, King Mickey?" asked Kairi.

Mickey slowed down into a jog as he pondered the question. Donald and Goofy, suddenly curious, peered in from both sides of the mouse king.

"Gee, that's easy," Mickey finally answered. "I'm the king, right? So I want to do everything I can to help the people I care about. And if the powers of darkness are threatening our ways of life, then… well, you get the idea?"

"To help the people I care about," Sora repeated quietly. He heaved a sigh. "To _protect_ the people I care about."

"That your reason, Sora?" Riku asked, suddenly placing a hand on Sora's head, playfully ruffling his spiky hair. "You seem pretty serious about that!"

"I'm not joking!" Sora protested, pushing off Riku's hand. "You're right. I am serious about that."

Everyone slowed down as soon as they reached what appeared to be the spiral's end. Nothing from the other side could be seen, but the group soundlessly agreed to continue forward. Sora looked at Kairi as he considered the words he just said.

"Ah, it's been a while since I saw the two of you," Riku eventually said. "Just don't get too mushy when I'm around, all right?"

Sora threw his head back in exasperation while Riku cut in between Kairi and him.

"So are we goin' or what?" Riku asked when he reached the rim of the exit.

"Do you think this is the way out, Riku?" Kairi asked, playing off Riku's joke.

Riku shrugged in response. He slowly stretched one hand toward the empty hole, as if trying to sense something. In a moment, he pulled back and shrugged again.

"We might as well," said Sora, finally deciding. "It's better than just hanging out here while Maleficent's still around."

"Stay alert, everyone," Mickey warned.

One by one, each party member sank through the opaque exit, staring with Sora, Riku, then Kairi, and then followed by Donald, Goofy and finally, Mickey.

Immediately after they left the distorted spiral, the exit vanished from existence, effectively leaving the group in a separate world. Like before, it was distorted. The ground was solid, but the optical illusions consistently created the simulations of tidal waves. Sora nearly fell over when series of light waves blew past his feet.

"I keep thinking I'm about to get knocked over," he muttered in complaint.

"Same. I think it's best if we just ignore all the weird things around us," Riku suggested.

"That's easy for you to say," Kairi responded, pointing to all the peculiarities around them. "Just look at this place!"

Aside from all the unsettling distortions and manipulated scenery, there were Heartless scattered in the distance. Most of them resembled the massive Darkside Heartless, albeit in twisted fashions. Some were missing arms and some had multiple arms. Some had wings and some even had multiple heads. The more the warriors of light took in, the more disconcerted they became.

"This place is messed up," said Sora, calling out his Keyblade. "I've never seen Heartless like those before."

"Hopefully we can get by without attracting their attention," said Mickey, who also had his Keyblade ready just in case. "Remember, our goal's to find that darn Maleficent."

"If she's even here…" Sora said with a sigh.

"Don't worry about that," Riku pointed out right away. "I have a really good feeling she's here."

Suddenly, as they were making their way down a smoky hill, a colossal hang reached out toward them. It appeared to be one of the abnormal Heartless that dotted the area. Quickly reacting, every member of the group leapt forward to strike down the enemy. However, seemingly on contact, the hand diffused and vanished into thin air. There were no sounds, no rumbles. There was nothing.

Bewildered and somewhat troubled, the warriors resumed their trek. On they went through this warped, alternative world of illusions. At this point, Sora noticed that they amidst a silent world. The Heartless they just struck did not growl, bellow or even generate any sort of tremor.

He assumed his hunch was correct; Sora broke from the group and dashed toward one of the looming distorted Heartless. Promptly protesting, Kairi also took off and went after Sora. After the two younger Keyblade-wielders flew off on their own, Riku rubbed his forehead and heaved a sigh.

"Stay here," Riku whispered to Mickey, Donald and Goofy. "I'll keep an eye on them."

Sora sped ahead with his Keyblade in tow. Once he closed in on the twisted Heartless giant, he wound back the Oblivion and delivered a potent slash across the dark beast's bare chest. But again, seemingly on contact, the Heartless vanished without reacting or making a sound. Sora landed on the hazy ground and gazed at the empty space that the Heartless once occupied.

Kairi, who saw the unraveling events, finally caught up. Just as confused as Sora was, she cut through the steady smog that sifted through the area.

"Man, I'm confused," Sora stated frankly, absentmindedly twirling around his Keyblade.

Kairi made a motion to speak, but ended up curling her lips into a pout. Realizing she was also just as confused, Kairi simply called off her Keyblade and looked on past the boundless horizon.

"This place was probably constructed with magic."

Sora and Kairi pivoted around and faced their best friend Riku. The older boy had a somber look to his face as he ambled up to their side.

"And there's only one person who's capable of doing this," Riku continued.

"Maleficent…" Sora and Kairi whispered simultaneously.

"That's my guess," said Riku. He sighed and roughly patted Sora's shoulder, causing the younger warrior to flinch. "Well, thanks to _you_, Sora, at least we know we can just walk by those fake Heartless without real problems."

"Yeah, uh, you're welcome, Riku," Sora sputtered while massaging his shoulder. Retaliating, he leapt up and messed with Riku's lengthy hair before fleeing back to Mickey, Donald and Goofy.

Kairi giggled at the sight of the reunited friends. It had been a long time since she observed Sora and Riku's constant brawls.

"He hasn't changed _too_ much, right?" Riku asked Kairi once Sora was out of earshot.

Kairi was surprised with Riku's sudden seriousness. She looked in Sora's direction. The Keyblade master was already animatedly explaining the situation to the royal trio.

"Mm, he's still the same to me," Kairi started. "We went through a lot. I finally got to see what your adventures were like in the past."

"He better be taking good care of you, Kairi," Riku said boldy. He pounded his fists together. "Because you know what'll happen if he's not, right?"

"Of course, he is," Kairi answered with a giggle. "I'm fine, see? Still, it would have been great if you were with us the whole time, Riku."

"Oh, you wouldn't want that," Riku droned slyly as he started walking off toward the rest of the party. "Why would I do that? I'll only be in your way—well, Sora's, too, I guess—"

"R-Riku!" Kairi gasped, helplessly working a flush into her face.

"Oh, c'mon, it's no secret," Riku called out as he left. "Everyone has an idea. Well, probably everyone but Sora—"

"Riku!" Kairi stammered again.

"You know, that occasional shyness of yours can get you pretty far—" Riku continued to taunt.

Kairi opened her mouth to protest again, but held back as Riku had already rejoined the rest of the party. There, he and Sora began fooling around as usual, at least until Mickey and Donald broke the two up and began scolding them.

She was not lying to herself about her own feelings. But for some reason, she did not want Sora finding out for sure unless she was the one telling him. With Riku teasing and trumpeting all the dialogue from before, Kairi subconsciously feared that Sora would react differently. Then again, a good part of her knew better and counteracted the thoughts.

When Sora began calling her back to the group, she helplessly smiled from just the sound of his voice. With a deep breath to calm herself back down to her normal self, Kairi made her short trip back to everyone.

"We took a look around," Mickey announced when Kairi came back. "We're not too far from Maleficent."

"She knows we're here," Donald clarified.

"So that pretty much says there's no point in a surprise attack…" Sora pointed out.

"Then what do ya think we do, Sora?" Goofy asked.

"Beats me," Sora answered slowly. "What do you think, Riku?"

"Well," Riku mumbled, scratching his head in thought. "It's tough. We can wait a bit and see what she's up to. Or we—"

"I say we go right in," Kairi abruptly declared.

"Really?" Sora and Riku asked at the same time.

"Why not?" the girl reasoned. "Since she knows we're here, there's no point in sneaking up on her or just watching her, hmm?"

Sora and Riku exchanged looks and shrugged. Mickey, Donald and Goofy also swapped looks. They were the first to agree.

"Kairi has a point, fellas," Mickey proclaimed. "What do ya say?"

"Sounds good to me, hyuck!" Goofy cheered.

"Oh, why not…" Donald mumbled.

"Well, I guess it's better than my idea of just sitting around," Riku admitted. "Though my idea's probably a little smarter."

"I think we're both dumb compared to Kairi, Riku," Sora joked, directing his words at Kairi. "I bet that's what Kairi thinks."

Smiling powerlessly at Sora's words, Kairi just felt an uncontrollable urge to hug the boy she cared most about. And when she did, after planting her face straight into his shoulder and locking her arms around his torso, she felt a moment of wonderful tranquility.

"Kairi?" Sora asked.

She secretly hoped that Riku could start his barrage of taunts again. But then again, she hoped for some silence.

"Oh, man!" Riku groaned loudly and dryly as he swiftly ushered the royal trio off with him. "I told you two before, 'don't get too mushy when I'm around!' Oh, what am I gonna do with you guys when we go home…"

Sora stuck his free hand out toward the departing Riku, but said no words and made no further gestures to call back the older boy. His other hand was unconsciously rested on Kairi's back. As random as the situation appeared to him, he too felt a moment of tranquility.

"Don't ever change, Sora," Kairi suddenly whispered.

"Huh?"

"I can't wait… once we go home, it'll be great."


	89. Dive Into the Heart

**Chapter LXXXIX:**

Maleficent, the final menace responsible for everything Sora, Kairi, Riku and all their companions have been through, hovered motionlessly over an obsidian pillar—a crude throne that towered above a massive plateau. Ignoring all the demented illusions and eerie echoes that encompassed this abyssal land, the warriors of light brought themselves before the sinister sorceress. Keyblade in hand, Sora was the first to greet his adversary.

"Enough playing around, Maleficent!" he shouted, twirling the Oblivion with great dexterity.

Maleficent merely smirked. With a snap of her fingers, she summoned forth a bundle of green flames. On edge, Sora, Kairi and Riku pointed their respective blades at the flame, prepared to defend themselves at any moment.

"Will you be so kind, Pete," Maleficent murmured. "As to do one last bidding for me?"

The Keyblade-wielders exchanged glances in surprise. Returning their attention back to the flames, they confirmed their doubts. Indeed, the silhouette of a husky figure began to show. In moments, the familiar fool named Pete stumbled out from his blazing prison.

Pete emerged in shock. Babbling incoherently and spastically scanning his surroundings, the fat anthropomorphic cat posed no immediate threat.

"_Now_ are you done playing around, Maleficent?" Kairi added after growing bored of Pete's antics.

"N-now wait just a minute here!" Pete sputtered after realizing his predicament. "I dunno what's happenin'! I was over there with the ship and—"

Suddenly, Pete turned around and gazed up at Maleficent. The sorceress has since sat down on her thronechair, idly tapping her bony fingers on the armrest.

"And you can't even properly consume time," she droned. "Be off with you…"

Unable to muster a response, Pete found himself in a swirl of darkness that slowly engulfed him from the feet up. Sora, Kairi, Riku and the royal trio could only look on, frozen in their spots, while Pete was transported into oblivion. Cackling nefariously, Maleficent pounded her scepter into her rocky throne, instantly silencing all the ambient noises around the abyssal plains. Then, Sora even found the sound of his own breath overshadowed by the sorceress's echoing chuckles.

Not that he wanted to fight Pete, but Sora would have preferred to knock out the bumbling cat on his own than to have Maleficent cruelly use Pete as a guinea pig for her dark powers. Wherever Pete ended up, it was probably no better than the situation here.

Again hovering, Maleficent gradually rose higher and higher into the sky. Her ghostly black robes fluttered madly the more she ascended. Taking a few steps in various directions, the warriors remained vigilant, knowing that Maleficent—with no more lines of defense—was conjuring a plan.

"Since we are all here now… very well, I suppose we can bring our game to an end," the witch finally spoke.

Suddenly disappearing into a ball of green flame, Maleficent easily caught all the warriors by surprise. Just as instantly, she reappeared via flames directly in front of Sora. By reflex, Sora was ready to lunge forward with his Keyblade. Reluctantly resisting, the Keyblade master ceased his actions halfway and stood his ground. All Maleficent offered was a mocking smirk.

"What are you fighting for, you little wretch?"

Sora squinted in discomfort. Though the question was reminiscent of the exchanges between Riku and him, Maleficent's inquiry was far from friendly. Riku asked him "why," as in dealing with purpose, hope. Maleficent asked him "what," as in dealing with material, desire.

"You don't have to tell me, my dear," the sorceress hissed. She motioned toward the hazy sky.

None of the warriors knew what was above them. But as the clouds of deceit faded away, they grimaced at the sight before them.

A crumbling Kingdom Hearts.

"You know what I want," Maleficent continued with a vile sneer, throwing her arms open as if embracing all the darkness around her. "Perhaps a weakened Kingdom Hearts can succumb to my powers ever more easily."

With those words, the warriors simultaneously responded by pointing their weapons directly at the sorceress.

"Come now, Maleficent, you don't have to do somethin' like this to have power," Mickey tried to reason. "Nothin' good can come from this. You're gonna destroy everything!"

"Foolish words from a foolish king!" Maleficent bellowed, her voice quickly changing in tone as she began glowing with daunting energy. "Nothing _good_ needs to come from this! All I need is Kingdom Hearts… and I shall have the darkness of all worlds at my disposal—"

"In your dreams!" Riku cut in, launching a massive orb of energy directly at Maleficent's chest.

Sora slightly flinched as Riku's spell blazed past his face. The orb struck Maleficent's wall of flame, resulting in an enormous conflagration. Ducking for cover, Sora and Kairi quickly dropped to the ground and summoned forth a Reflect spell. Likewise, Donald covered the rest of the party toward the rear, as the remnants of Riku's powerful attack littered the land around them.

The smoke cleared, only to reveal no sign of Maleficent. The warriors regained their postures as they fervently scanned their surroundings.

"Did ya get her?" Goofy eagerly called out to Riku.

"Doubt it," Riku muttered as he moved up to Sora and Kairi's side. "Keep your guard up."

But a split second was simply not enough time for any keen warrior to react. As soon as Riku stopped talking, a monstrous clawed, talon-like hand ruptured the ground directly under Sora, causing the Keyblade master to lose his footing and plummet toward the darkness beneath. The hand—scaled purplish black and ridged—lead to the silhouette of a colossal dragon. Dark purple smog oozed from the abyss and only the beast's sinister yellow eyes could be seen amidst the darkness.

Other than Sora, the only members of the party who recognized this dragon were Donald and Goofy. Mickey was able to figure it out on his own, but nonetheless, he was bound by shock, much like everyone else.

"Sora!" Riku yelled out, charging right at the clenched dragon fist of Maleficent.

As if he were a common housefly, Riku was easily swatted away with a brisk motion by Maleficent. Retaliating, Riku, along with Mickey and Donald, leapt into the air and fired a barrage of elemental spells down into the pit, trying their best to free Sora from Maleficent's clutches.

Meanwhile, Kairi climbed up to where Sora was held on her own. Sora was completely disabled; his arms and legs were locked within Maleficent's unrelenting grasp.

"I'll get you out of there, Sora," Kairi whispered aguishly. "Just hold on…"

"Imbeciles!" Maleficent hissed violently.

Maleficent's sudden voice prompted a billow of green flame to sore upward, sending Kairi, Riku, Mickey, Donald and Goofy crashing to the ground. With an evil snicker, Maleficent slowly sank into the abyss and began sealing the pit behind her with a murky pool of pure darkness. As the dragon Maleficent disappeared, so did Sora.

"Sora!" Kairi cried out, lunging forward toward the last remaining bit of the dragon's hand.

"Kairi!" Riku and the rest of the party simultaneously yelled out.

"Get off of me!" Kairi protested as Riku and Mickey each grabbed ahold of Kairi's arms.

The girl began channeling a bundle of fire at the tip of her Keyblade before Mickey quickly shot it aside with a Fire spell of his own.

"Kairi—" Mickey spoke quietly as he struggled to maintain hold.

"Let me go!"

"Kairi!" Riku shouted.

"Why are you leaving him like this?" Kairi cried out, on the verge of tears.

"I'll be okay, Kairi!" Sora shouted back, still trying to squirm his way out of Maleficent's grip. "Don't worry about me. Just stay with Riku and the others!"

"Sora can handle it," Riku continued, easing his tone a bit. "More than anyone else can over here."

Still, Kairi would not surrender. Forcefully swinging an arm down toward the ground, she knocked Mickey off to the side. Then, with a swift kick to the shin, she knocked Riku off balance. Quickly pivoting, she recalled her Oathkeeper and conjured a barricade of fire between her and the rest of the group.

"Kairi!" everyone called out, but the girl was already well on her way back to Sora.

At this point, only Sora's upper body was left above the surface of the dark pool. By the time Kairi was able to reach his side, most of his torso was submerged.

"Hey, Kairi," Sora quipped, continuing his attempts to slip out of Maleficent's grasp, but to no avail.

"How can you stay so calm?" Kairi whispered, grabbing onto one of Sora's immobilized hands.

"Well," Sora sighed as he finally chose to conserve his energy instead. "I know it's not over yet. Definitely not here, not now."

A wave of terror and panic surged through Kairi as she noticed her hand slowly creeping into the dark pool. Immediately, Sora wrestled his fingers from Kairi's, allowing Kairi to stay away from the tainted energy. Without anyone or anything to hold on to, Sora's entire figure slowly sank deeper into the pool.

Riku and Mickey's voices were in the distant background, calling for Kairi to return. Donald could be heard babbling further off, also beckoning for her to get back. Even Goofy could be heard pleading, just faintly. But Kairi had her eyes and ears and attention only on Sora.

"I'll come back to you," said Sora. "I promise."

Kairi helplessly smiled at the familiar words. She motioned her hands forward again, but held back as Sora's face began to fall into the dark pool.

"I lo—"

The words never reached Sora's ears as the entirety of the Keyblade master's being was sucked beneath the surface of the pool. A few bubbles surfaced and popped, but after a few moments, everything—other than the sizzling wall of fire behind Kairi—was utterly silent.

"I love you, Sora."

* * *

Sora was looking forward to a one-on-one duel with Maleficent when he reached the bottom of the pit. However, he was surprised to find himself completely alone. Instead of choking on liquid darkness, he was breathing normally, albeit still in complete darkness.

_Am I actually dead?_ he thought to himself.

It was a dreamlike state. He continued to fall, seemingly slower and slower for eternity, before he eventually landed feet first on something solid. Sora glanced around, unable to distinguish anything in the total blackness. But as he felt and moved around, a dim light began growing from beneath his feet. Bit by bit, Sora realized the ground he was standing on was thick, impenetrable stained glass.

Walking across, Sora counted the princesses of heart who were depicted on the panes. Sora identified Alice, Aurora, Belle, Cinderella, Jasmine and Snow White. Circling around, he caught sight of an elegant auburn-haired girl.

Kairi.

Sora felt himself curse Maleficent under his breath for isolating him.

After a period of fruitless wandering, a tall door spawned on the edge of the glass. A peculiar feeling of déjà vu entered Sora's mind, but the Keyblade master brushed it off.

"Enter," a sinister voice resembling Maleficent's echoed through the darkness. "If you dare."

"Enough with the games, Maleficent," Sora muttered to himself.

Without hesitating, Sora shoved open the heavy door and proceeded through. Upon arriving in the new room—with similar stained glass flooring and pure darkness surrounding it—Maleficent's voice echoed again.

"Do you know where you are, Keyblade-wielder?"

Sora cautiously scanned around as he slowly approached the center of the glass. Depicted on the glass was a silhouette of Kingdom Hearts.

"It is not a dream," Maleficent whispered. "This is very real."

"Then where exactly are we, Maleficent?" Sora called out. He summoned his Keyblade to be safe. "What else do you have planned?"

No words came from Maleficent. But a grim chuckle emanated from the far corners of the darkness. As brisk as a gust of wind, a ring of green flames quickly erupted out and surrounded the stained glass that Sora stood on. Within a moment, Maleficent, still in her giant dragon form, stepped in. Each step from her massive claws sent a small tremor through the thick glass, forcing Sora to maintain his balance.

Sora had his eyes fixated on what appeared to be a permanent smirk on the dragon's face. Every breath Maleficent took seemed to increase the temperature around the makeshift arena. Green flames danced ceaselessly around Sora, compelling him to keep changing his positions.

"As you wish," Maleficent hissed. "We shall end our game here…"


	90. Down the Stretch

**Chapter XC:**

The dragon was there. Sora gripped the hilt of the Oblivion with all his might. Amidst the haze and smoke, the blank darkness and suffocating nothingness, here was the showdown between the final representative of darkness and the warrior of light. All things considered, Sora figured he had been through worse. All of his friends have been through worse. Or so this was what kept playing back in his head.

_No time for distractions_, Sora thought as he felt a trickle of sweat seep into his collar.

Maleficent snarled in almost a taunting way as she stomped slowly toward the Keyblade master. She beckoned him forward with her flaming claws, slashing through the air in menacing fashion. When Sora chose not to take the bait, she reared her head back and regurgitated a demonic ball of flame.

Leaping out of the way, Sora easily dodged the slow attack. But the split second was enough to allow Maleficent to disappear. His life depended on his senses and reflexes now. And maybe some luck.

"Don't you wish your pathetic friends were here?" Maleficent hissed from the darkness.

Sora remained stationed, using only his eyes and ears to get a better sense of his now distorted surroundings. Maleficent's voice seemed to come from every direction.

"Well, I certainly do," Maleficent's voice echoed. "So I can crush them along with you altogether—"

Sora pivoted slightly to his right and channeled a bolt of lightning into the nothingness. Flaming eyes appeared in the background beyond the severed lightning bolts, and what appeared to be a cynical smirk shone through the darkness. Fangs bared, Maleficent released another stream of scorching flame in Sora's direction. Timing his jump, Sora launched himself into the air above the flames. The silhouette of Kingdom Hearts seemed to be fading below him.

Without warning, the glass platform shattered, along with the silhouette of Kingdom Hearts. Maleficent's colossal dragon head blasted through the broken pieces, jaws unhinged and tongue extended. Within the dragon's cavernous throat, molten flames began to build again.

Sensing the impending doom, Sora covered himself with a Reflect spell before casting a Gravity spell further below. Right before Maleficent unleashed another potent fireball, Sora dragged himself out of range with the intensified gravity. But without a platform to catch his fall, the Keyblade master continued to plummet into the depths of the unknown.

"Struggle more!" Maleficent hissed fanatically. "Suffer more!"

_She's gone out of her mind,_ Sora thought.

Sora thought he was imagining things, but this seemingly "nothing-based" realm no longer seemed to be "nothing." He could feel it. The darkness was flooding in at a rapid rate. Had Kingdom Hearts really collapsed?

* * *

"What's happening?" Kairi gasped in alarm.

"The worlds are gettin' swallowed up," Mickey reported ominously. "We gotta get out of here. Fast."

"What about Sora?" Kairi exclaimed. "You're not leaving him, are you?"

"Kairi, we have to go," Riku tried to reason. "He'll make it out. Can't you feel it? He'll definitely make it out of there."

Time and space was distorted. The environment in which the party was in no longer resembled anything they could recognize. At times, it fluctuated between characteristics of Twilight Town and Radiant Garden. At other times, scenes reminiscent of Traverse Town and Castle Oblivion showed up. Everything seemed to be very real. Like Sora's world, darkness seemed to be consuming everything.

Believing what they were experiencing was indeed reality; Mickey seized the opportunity to charge forward when the twisting environment became Costa Island. Indescribable dark forces ripped trees from their roots. Iron gates were crumpled and tossed aside like paper. Regardless, the mouse king shielded himself with spells. Two objects caught his eyes, giving him the motive to try and accomplish the impossible.

"There's no way you can make it through all this, Mickey!" Riku called out.

Mickey peered over his shoulder and pointed his Keyblade more off in the distance. The Celsius and the Highwind were planted near a few blackened trees, barely stationed against the mighty trunks. The dark storm continued to throw everything into further chaos. At a different angle, the Gummi ships might as well have been tossed aside like the majority of other objects in the vicinity.

"Tch," Riku spat. "C'mon, you guys. It's now or never."

Kairi nodded in agreement. Both Donald and Goofy enthusiastically saluted Riku and Kairi before chasing after Mickey. They all managed to maintain their footing with paced castings of gravity-based spells alongside Reflect spells. With a little more endurance, they can board the Gummi ships.

As they kept their heads low, their knees bent and their hopes high—even with all the hazardous debris swirling around them—the group slowly progressed. The situation reminded Kairi of the collapsing Vanishing Isle. Bearing in mind how Sora and she made it through the ordeal, Kairi refocused her determination and began channeling a new level of Reflect spells.

In an instance that Donald had to keep himself from getting blown away by the dark winds, Kairi quickly enveloped the mage with a dense Reflect spells, preventing heavy bricks and branches from getting any closer. When Goofy's knight's shield seemed to be insufficient in holding back an incoming iron bar, Kairi fired off her own shield to provide extra cover. And without dropping her guard, she immediately pivoted around and summoned another Reflect spell, blocking and splitting apart a massive tree trunk that came hurtling toward Riku and her.

"Looks like Sora gave you a few tips," Riku noted.

"Maybe a little," Kairi answered with a modest grin.

* * *

The demonic dragon dived head-first in pursuit of Sora. With her fangs protruding outward with sheer malice, Maleficent prepared to clamp down with her powerful jaws. The Keyblade master had other ideas. In retaliation, Sora somersaulted in midair, planting one foot on the dragon's snout before propelling himself to greater altitudes.

"Don't think you can escape me, boy!"

"I'm not trying to," Sora mumbled, mostly to himself. _What should I do, though?_

It was pure darkness, aside from the puffs of fire that occasionally spewed from Maleficent's reptilian lips. Sora tried to track light, any light, as a source of hope. Here, it was all too grim. A wave of fire spiraled from below. Sora swiftly unleashed a line of fire from the tip of his Keyblade in response. The two attacks collided at midpoint and split into a shower of searing sparks.

_Someone tell me if we're okay,_ Sora kept thinking.

He tried to tap into his inner energy. If the only light in the physical world was limited to sparks caused by magical flames, he had to look for the light somewhere else.

_This is silly,_ he tried joking with himself. _If only Riku and Kairi could see me now._

"Come on, Sora! We're here with you. Make us proud!"

Sora thought he heard a voice. Maleficent unleashed another pillar of flames, momentarily catching Sora off guard. The Keyblade master only had enough time to deflect the fire from scorching his body. He hurriedly shook off the flames that singed his hands and gloves.

"We're all with you on this one," the voice repeated.

"Yeah, we've got your back," another voice joined in.

_Roxas?_

Suddenly, right in front of Sora's face, another Keyblade began to form. Contrasting with Sora's metallic-black Oblivion, the new Keyblade glowed a crystal white. The angelic hilt emerged through a burst of bright sparks, showing a little thalassa shell ornament chained to the bottom.

Sora dug into his pocket and retrieved another thalassa shell charm. It was the one Selphie made on Destiny Islands, almost identical in appearance to Kairi's charm. Sora took another look at the Keyblade forming in front of him.

"Kairi," he whispered.

The Oathkeeper emerged, beckoning Sora to use it. The ornament at the hilt—it was indeed Kairi's charm.

"_I love you, Sora._"

"What—"

* * *

Kairi looked at the thalassa shell charm that Selphie made for Sora and her. She gripped it tightly as Riku yanked the ignition lever, launching the Highwind into the dark sky in line with the Celsius.

"You'll be okay, Sora," she whispered, resisting a pool of tears that was on the verge of gushing out of her eyes. "You're okay. I know you are."

"It doesn't look good out here!" Donald's voice sounded from the Celsius's cockpit. The communications screen on board the Highwind flashed with static.

"How bad is it on your side?" Riku shouted through the radio system.

"Yowza, it's bad… I can't see a thing!" Goofy complained through the intercom.

"Very bad," Donald repeated with greater emphasis.

In a split second, all was black.

* * *

Sora closed his eyes as he felt the new energy surge into his arms from the Oathkeeper. With a newfound strength, he crossed the Oblivion and the Oathkeeper before him as he stared down at the dragon. Black and white, dark and light. Contrast in unity.

"Shall I cower in fear?" Maleficent taunted.

"Brace yourself, Maleficent," Sora murmured, his whole body now glowing with pure light. "And prepare to pay back for all the crimes you committed across all the worlds…"

"And I should cower in fear," Maleficent continued to taunt, her dragon cry piercing through the darkness.

"Get her, Sora," various voices sounded around Sora.

Yelling out in an emotional combination of fury, triumph, frustration, eagerness, relief, sadness, atonement, despair and virtuousness, Sora dropped headfirst in a direct collision with Maleficent. The dragon opened her cavernous mouth, gathering an enormous conglobation of dancing flames in preparation to disintegrate all that stood before her. Sora continued to plunge, fearing nothing.

The scorching orb was fired off. Sora crisscrossed the Keyblades and bided his time. The fire touched him and he ripped the Keyblades through the flames with one swift motion. Sora felt a peculiar coolness that breathed through the dying flames. His eyes focused on the target below him. Maleficent's eyes seemed to shrink even as he got closer. Sora crossed the blades once more.

A heart-shaped moon glowed in the background as the smoke faded into nothingness.


	91. Reversion

**Chapter XCI:**

Consumed by darkness, the Celsius and Highwind spiraled out of control. The parties on board were tossed and turned from one side of the ship to the other. The violent confusion left them all in a daze. In empty space, nothing could be seen. Sora could not be found. Where was Maleficent? These thoughts flooded the minds of all those on board the uncontrollable Gummi ships. As the ships' circuitry shut off due to chaos, nothing could be seen and only a cocktail of contorting metal and crushed debris could be heard grating against the sides of the ships.

Communications were disconnected between the Celsius and the Highwind. As Riku made every attempt to stabilize the Highwind, Kairi secured herself in her seat while her hands clasped fervently onto her charm. A plethora of emotions surged through her, but she only had one wish.

The ships continued to spiral into the darkness despite all the efforts by pilots Riku and Mickey. With no clues in sight as to what was happening, the only guess was that the very fabric of existence was being torn apart. Mickey rapidly shifted between the Celsius's steering and navigation panels while analyzing the nothingness that shown through the cockpit windows. He was starting to get used to the nauseating twists and turns—and oddly enough, the wildness started to feel normal.

A sudden impact to the Celsius snapped Mickey back to his senses. The force nearly knocked Donald straight into him, but fortunately the hefty Goofy was able to grab hold of the duck mage before anything harmful could occur.

"It looks like we stopped spinnin' around for now," Mickey noted. All seemed quiet. "We must've landed somewhere."

Figuring the moment to find some answers had arrived, Donald rolled up his sleeves, inhaled deeply and proceeded to force his way out of the Celsius. With a couple of noisy yanks, he managed to unbolt the cabin door. Instantaneously, a wave of black energy rushed through the ship's interior, temporarily stunning the passengers. The feeling only lasted mere seconds, however. Pausing a moment before stepping out, Donald lit up his wand and—

"W-what the?" he sputtered.

"What is it, Donald?" Mickey asked as he came rushing out with Goofy.

The three of them made their way out onto the platform that they landed on. Gazing upward, they faced their only dim source of light.

"Kingdom Hearts," a voice said. "We meet again."

Climbing out of the totaled Highwind were Riku and Kairi. Riku continued to make his way further down the platform, his eyes locked onto the flickering heart-shaped moon.

"Sorry about the ships," said Kairi. "We couldn't see where we were going…"

"Not to worry, Kairi," said Goofy. "The Celsius is still in okay shape."

"As for now," Mickey murmured. "We have to figure out what's happenin' here."

"Looks like Kingdom Hearts really is fading away," Riku declared. "Maleficent and her group really did some damage this time."

Indeed, the moon had a dreadful, unhealthy appearance. Once a bright, pale yellow luminescent symbol of light, Kingdom Hearts was being consumed and slowly overcome by darkness. The glow decreased by the second; at this point in time, the moon seemed to have the same brightness as a standard street lamp. The five warriors looked on with not a working idea present in their minds.

"Come on, Sora," Kairi whispered to herself.

"Come on, come on," Riku began whispering as well. "There's gotta be something…"

A black mark slowly began appearing within the center of Kingdom Hearts. Mickey narrowed his eyes to focus.

"Maleficent? No," he said quietly.

As the shape opened up to the curiosity and surprise of its onlookers, Riku and Mickey were the first to draw their Keyblades in precaution. As the blackness, or an empty door frame, literally opened up, Kairi, Donald and Goofy all shifted into defensive postures.

A spark of green flame spurted out, prompting the entire party to point their weapons in the door's direction.

"Kingdom…" a beastly voice echoed. A rumbled rippled across the platform, sending the party into a fit of balancing acts. "Hearts… is—"

"Get ready, you guys," Mickey called out.

"…Is… Mine…!"

"Get her!" Riku shouted out, charging an orb of energy in anticipation.

As abruptly as the green flame shot out, a grand explosion of blinding light blasted through the door, instantly filling the dark void with unparalleled brilliance and scorching radiance. Riku, closest to Kingdom Hearts, helplessly shielded his eyes from the powerful light, the energy he was channeling fizzling out without a threat. Likewise, Mickey, Donald and Goofy each dropped their weapons and shied away from the light.

Kairi looked on. The Oathkeeper hung loosely at her fingertips as her eyes remained wide and her mind fully aware. Attempting to escape from the door was Maleficent. The dragon sorceress clawed and scraped at the light, but to no avail. The deafening shrieks neither aided her cause nor faze the stationary Kairi. The noise subsided, the light began to dim. The dragon head that jutted out from the door turned to dust. The black particles landed on the platform just further off from where the party stood. Riku continued to shield his eyes as the light, though diminishing, was still far too bright for normal eyes to bear.

Kairi moved toward the door, toward the epicenter of the light. As she drew closer, the light began concentrating more on the door. At some point, Kairi stood directly below the door that floated a hundred feet above her. The light was now completely concentrated on one point. Kairi reached out with her hand.

"Come back," she quietly beckoned. "Come back."

The light flickered once.

"To me."

A curved ray of light shot through the door and wound around Kairi's neck and torso at blazing speed. Droplets of light blew across the platform, briefly grazing the likes of Riku, Mickey, Donald and Goofy. With another burst of speed, the light beamed upward to the moon. Observing silently, the warriors watched as the light disappeared for a moment.

And there it was.

The light embedded itself within the heart-shaped moon. Slowly, but surely, the familiar, pure glow of Kingdom Hearts returned. The saturated radiance lit up the surroundings, once again bringing a balance to the light and the darkness.

Kairi remained as motionless as she had been from the start, until a rumble beneath the platform forced her to react.

"Kairi!" Riku shouted.

The older boy sprinted forward and pulled the girl back to the party. In a split second, the platform separated into two. Simultaneously, the door that appeared in front of Kingdom Hearts vanished from sight. The piece of the platform that the party remained on began to drift away, away from the resting spot of Kingdom Hearts.

"Wait," Kairi gasped. "Wait, no. No. Wait, we can't leave yet!"

Struggling to break free from Riku's hold, Kairi found herself restrained by the rest of the party.

"Calm down, Kairi!" Donald hollered. "You can't run off from here!"

"Get off of me!" Kairi shouted angrily. "Sora!"

Kingdom Hearts was now in the distance. As Kairi's final shout echoed through the void, the brightness of the heart-shaped moon reached out and all faded into whiteness.


	92. Our Journey's End

**C****hapter XCII:**

_["There is no good, no light, no hope for a still end."  
"Huh—"  
"What can you do? What can friends do? Nothing."  
"Who are you?"  
"I am Darkness. I am Light."  
"Darkness. Light."  
"I am the essence. The factor that binds the universe together."  
"What are you?"  
"I am what you have saved, my prophecy is what you have proved wrong."  
"Wrong?"  
"As long as you remain true. All shall be in balance."  
"Me? Balance…?"  
"Return whence you came."]_

Vision blurred. Feelings numbed. There was no sense of existence, except for—

"Ugh," he grunted. "Where am I…?"

He inched his arm out and touched something feathery and soft. The surroundings were dark, but not pitch black. Sora felt around for a while longer, and a wave of confusion washed over him. He was in a plain white shirt and faded blue shorts, not in his battle clothes. He gently lifted his head and peered around.

The sun was rising, as the faint sunrays peeked through the curtains little by little. The light illuminated the familiar environment. Sora blinked a few times, gradually regaining his eyesight.

"My… room…?"

Suddenly aware of his immobility, Sora rolled to the side and slowly reached out with his left leg. With a steady stretch, he slid out of his bed and landed on all four limbs on the surface of the dry wooden floor. He felt uncharacteristically weak. His legs were beyond sore, his arms felt like noodles, his back felt as pliable as high-tier construction planks. Sora did not know where to start. Apparently he awoke to the early hours of dawn. Stretching out from head to toe with all his might, the temporary relief allowed him to get back on his feet.

The household was silent. Sora tiptoed his way down the stairs and across the living room on the way to the front door. Carefully unbolting the locks, Sora eased his way out onto the beach.

The ocean scent and the bright, clear skies revitalized him. Gulls called out in the distance; a multitude of ambient sounds blended with each other. The hums of motorboats driven by the early risers departing for work filled the air. Sora made his way to the shore, just a few yards away from the pier where he and Riku often sparred. He sat down on the slightly moist sand, stretched his shoulders and rotated his neck. A variety of thoughts filtered through his mind.

How did he end up at home?

Who was speaking to him?

Was it all a dream?

Sora grumbled to himself in frustration at the thought of everything being a dream. He scratched his head and ruffled his hair to erase those thoughts. Gazing solemnly into ths sunrise, Sora reached out with his right hand until the sun was blocked from view. He clamped down firmly and out came the familiar metal weapon he grew so fond of over the years.

The black Oblivion glistened in the sunlight. Despite all the carnage and havoc the Keyblade was involved in, the weapon appeared completely unstained and unscratched, as if it had never seen the faces of war.

"Sora!"

The Keyblade master dismissed the blade and turned his attention to the sweet, feminine voice that called from behind. As he stood up and turned his body around, the speed at which he turned and fell back onto the sand knocked him into a temporary daze. One hand rested on the grainy sand while the other rested on the smoothest skin he had ever felt.

Without saying a word, Sora dug his nose into the auburn hair that buried his neck. It had a faint lavender aspect. The scent of natural herbs. A fresh flower. The comforts of honey. They combined for the familiarity that Sora cannot grow tired of. It was enough to nearly bring tears to his eyes. Nearly, though, as the girl—the young woman—was wholly attached to his body, suddenly had tears streaming out in uncontrollable fashion. Before they collided, the sweet voice danced through his ears. Now, the rhythm of quiet sobs tapped into his spirit.

There was no need to move or say anything. Sora lifted his free hand and placed it on the nape of Kairi's neck. The sobs intensified, but the action was enough for Kairi to nuzzle her face deeper into Sora's chest.

_You're okay_, Sora wanted to say. _We're all okay._

* * *

At the peak of the afternoon sun, Sora found himself sitting in a nostalgic situation. To his right, Riku stood by, leaning against a grand palm tree. To his left, Kairi sat with her legs crossed, her shoulder just barely touching Sora's.

"So it was only a dream?" Sora asked impatiently. "This whole thing was just a dream?"

"Yes," answered Riku.

"No!" Kairi countered. She shot Riku a disapproving look. "Riku!"

"Hey, hey," Riku laughed. "I'm just messin' with him. Y'know, old times."

Kairi sighed and placed one hand on Sora's arm.

"You slept for a while," she said. "You didn't move a single muscle for two days."

"That's not so bad," Sora chuckled. "You see all those movies and shows when people black out for days and weeks at a time!"

"Yeah, lucky it was just two days," said Riku, roughly patting Sora on the back. "It was really hard for me to keep changing you every night. Shouldn't that be your mom's job?"

Sora smirked and shrugged. He glanced at Kairi, who also smiled and shrugged.

"So everything did happen," Sora whispered. He placed his hands behind his head and leaned back against the tree. "It seems like everything will be okay this time. For real."

"Definitely," said Kairi.

"You bet," Riku agreed.

Sora hopped out and stood on the hot sand. He missed this feeling: bare feet on scalding, sun-baked sand.

"Whatever happened Donald and Goofy? And King Mickey?" Sora asked. "And Maleficent? And—"

"Slow down there, buddy," Riku cut in, laughing as he also made his way onto the sandy beach. "They're all fine—well, minus Maleficent, you got her pretty good—but us good guys, everything turned out right for us."

"You're a hero, Sora!" Kairi exclaimed, making her way over as well.

"Nah," Sora responded modestly. "We all are."

The three of them stood side-by-side, watching over the completely normal denizens of Destiny Islands and their completely normal activities. The waves crashed on top of youngsters, all of them squealing with glee and excitement. Toward the cliffs, a heated game of Blitzball, led by Wakka and Tidus, was nearing its finale. And on the opposite side, a small group of schoolgirls worked together to harvest a few ripe coconuts.

The three of them, Keyblade masters, exchanged heartfelt looks as they took in the result of their struggles. An era of long-deserved peace and tranquility was upon them.

"Riku," Sora began, a serious tone in his voice. "When me and Kairi were here looking for the keyhole, we—"

Riku put a hand up, cutting Sora's words short.

"I'll be fine," he said. "Kairi told me what happened."

"And you're… really fine?" Sora asked in wonder.

"I've accepted it," said Riku. He smiled, easing Sora's concern. "After all, I think he's pretty happy right now, seeing all of us here safe and sound."

"I guess so," said Sora, the memories of Riku's father evoked an intense feeling of heartache. Riku's emotional sturdiness was impressive. Emulating him, Sora fought off the painful thoughts and turned to Kairi. "What about your dad, Kairi?"

The girl at first remained silent, but finally produced a smile.

"When you restored Kingdom Hearts," said Kairi. "You've managed to return all the stolen hearts back to all the people."

"Isn't it great?" Riku asked Sora.

Kairi nodded to Sora, convincing him that she was satisfied with the results. The worries began to settle as Sora persuaded himself that all is indeed well. The worlds have been saved. The balance between Light and Darkness has been restored. The people are now safe. Sora took a deep breath.

"Yes," Sora declared boldly. "Everything is okay."

"And everything _will_ be okay," Kairi added.

* * *

Later in the day, Riku departed to assist back home. Likewise, Kairi went off to rebuild her relationship with her father. Sora sat by the pier for a couple of hours, collecting his thoughts on his adventures. There seemed to be one thing left to do. That is why he remained by the pier.

At twilight hours, when the sunset was a blend of orange and red and the sky was a swirl of purple, Sora got on his feet and offered his hand at the approaching girl. Smiling earnestly, yet with a hint of playfulness, Kairi obliged and placed her hand in Sora's palm. Their eyes met for what seemed an eternity. Before too much time passed, Sora slipped his fingers between Kairi's and gently tugged her onward.

On the first step, a feeling of curious wonder rushed through Kairi. When she turned her eyes in Sora's direction, euphoria nearly overwhelmed her. She wanted to stop walking already and just… Regardless, the signs, this time, did not go unnoticed. Sora tried his best to maintain his usual clownishness. He told himself, as a matter of fact, that this was unfinished business.

They gracefully held each other's hands as they casually strode along the edge of the soft, sandy beach. Every few seconds, their bare feet were tickled by the cold seawater that stretched and gently splashed onto the shore. It was low tide at an auburn sunset, the perfect time for them to just relax, to simply walk, and to fully enjoy the surrounding views. With each passing, undisturbed moment, they briefly gazed into each other's eyes, then to resume on their stroll.

But Kairi simply could not hold back any longer and she leaned in…


	93. Epilogue

_Hope you all enjoyed the ride. Be sure to check for the full .PDF rendition at "http :/www. keepandshare. com/doc/3281290/kingdom-hearts-a-new-tale-5-2-meg?da=y" (_ATTENTION! _Make sure there are no spaces before the "http," "www" and "com"). The link is also available in my profile. Spin-off sequel is in progress!_

* * *

**Epilogue:**

Riku looked at the two cards in his hand.

_Wonder if these will be any use one day?_ he thought. He tucked them into his pockets along with his personal collection of keychains. _Well, off I go._

Riku pushed the massive metal door open and entered. Various security guards stood motionless at their posts. Each gave Riku a quick glance, but maintained their positions. After walking through the wide halls, Riku stopped and looked up at the sign. He raised a hand and prepared to knock on the door before him.

"Come in," a voice said from within.

The Keyblade master slowly made his way in, his chest raised high and his shoulders eased back. Several official-looking men waited in the room.

"Mr. Mayor," Riku greeted humbly.

The mayor gestured to all but one man to leave the room. The mayor then offered a warm smile, silently beckoning Riku to relax.

"Now, Riku, what have I said before about formalities here?" he said, leaning back in his office chair. "Please, make yourself at home! How are you and Sora doing these days?"

"Just fine, sir, I mean—" Riku paused. "Yeah, we're doing just fine. And what about you and Kairi?"

The mayor chuckled and slowly rose from his seat. He went to the far side of the office and poured some hot tea into two separate handcrafted mugs. He offered one to Riku, who politely accepted, before seating himself back down.

"Superb," he finally said after taking a long sip of tea. "I try my best nowadays to keep work-related things to a minimum around Kairi. Hopefully, somehow, I can make up all those neglectful years I've put upon her."

"I'm sure she's much happier now," Riku said reassuringly.

"I appreciate those words, Riku," said the mayor. He paused, taking another sip from his mug. "Ah, I remembered. Are you and Sora planning on returning to school after all these years?"

"Sora is, not me," Riku answered right away. "As a matter of fact, your daughter is already helping him cram years of schoolwork into one summer, just so the two of them could be in the same grade when the school year resumes."

"Sounds like something she would do!" the mayor exclaimed. "That leaves you, then. What are _you_ planning on doing, Riku?"

Riku stretched out both arms and gestured to the office and the entire vicinity. He looked in the direction of the other man, who had been motionless and mute the entire time.

"The job, eh?" the mayor asked.

"That's why I'm here," Riku confirmed.

"Chief Amodar," the mayor called.

The other man in the office, Amodar, was a tall, dark-skinned man who appeared to be in his early-50s. He was a hulky man, distinguished by his thick mustache and short gelled black hair. Amodar made his way next to Riku and faced the mayor. From here, Riku realized the police chief was only a couple of centimeters taller than he was. Still, the noticeable size difference was enough to at least mentally intimidate Riku—just a little.

"Sir," said Amodar.

"Take this one under your wing," said the mayor. "He's one of the few who helped clean up the mess we were all in. The Dark Crisis is over, but it won't hurt to train some new recruits."

"Understood," said Alomar. He turned his head to face Riku. "Well, well. The training regimen should pose to be of no problem for someone of your caliber."

Riku smirked, his expression brimming with sheer confidence.

* * *

Mickey, hooded and concealed in a black cloak, made his way in between lines of tourists and researchers alike. It was the reopening of the Temple Key Museum, and would-be scholars from all corners of the universe found ways to show up. None seemed to truly notice Mickey following along. The chatter in the air was filled with inconceivable scientific anecdotes, terminology Mickey never could have imagine existed, and in some cases, angry mutters and curses spewing between two disagreeing intellectuals.

As the lines moved along, Mickey eventually found himself at the entrance to the museum. The man in the ticket booth instantly recognized the mouse king.

"Y-you're King Mickey!" he gasped. Mickey quickly placed an index finger on his own mouth, signaling for silence.

"Not so loud!" Mickey whispered. "I'm only a tourist today."

But the announcement was loud enough for nearby attendees to hear. In mere seconds, the domino effect was under way. Murmurs of "King Mickey is here," "The mouse king is here," and "Someone said they saw King Mickey" began circulating through the crowds. Without hesitating, Mickey waved a quick goodbye to the man in charge of the ticket booth and hurried into the museum.

Inside, Mickey sprinted through the corridors, past the stationary researchers examining the artifacts, past the hardworking university students drafting their thesis papers, and past the small groups of debating scholars. In time, he found the place he was searching for all along.

A bulky, broad-shouldered man was busy reorganizing a stack of books, each seeming to weigh at least ten pounds. Beside him was an attractive female, somewhat above average height for a woman. Her long hair rested over her shoulders like a scarf, the thin glasses resting on her nose periodically slipped down from her slender face. She was flipping through a large tome; her expression showed that she was digging for information.

"Well, look who it is," said the woman, peering up from the tome.

"The majesty himself," said the man, temporarily putting his duties to a halt. "In person. What brings us this honor?"

"Xym—oh, haha," Mickey paused and cleared his throat. "Gylmer. Silra. Good to see the two of you hard at work."

The two librarians smiled in response.

"Work as usual," said Gylmer. "You'd think we're due for a vacation now and then."

"I practically live here," said Silra. "Come to think of it, I can't even remember when was the last time I got to travel…"

Mickey stayed quiet for a moment. It seemed that Gylmer and Silra retained only their human memories. For them, their existences as Heartless and Nobodies were the equivalent of a living nightmare. Mickey promptly decided it was best to not bring up the subject.

"Hire some more folks during the late seasons and maybe you two can take a well-deserved vacation," Mickey said happily. "Oh, and…"

With a strong flick of his wrists, Mickey whipped out a reinforced case from his cloak. He nudged the package over to Gylmer, who hesitated before opening the lid.

"This is—"

"How did you get your hands on these documents?" asked Silra. "I could've sworn we had them stashed in our research room."

"Guess not…" added Gylmer. "Strange."

"Happened to come across 'em during my travels," Mickey explained. "Keep 'em safe, guys."

Gylmer closed the lid and passed the case to Silra. After a brief examination, Silra nodded to Mickey and made her way out of the library. When she was out of earshot, Gylmer took the rest of the books and crammed them into various bookshelves.

"And that's that," Gylmer declared proudly. "How long are you planning on staying, your Majesty?"

"Well," Mickey started. "Not too long, I still have business to sort out back at the kingdom. A certain fellow named Pete is off on his mischievous schemes again."

"That's a shame, would've offered you some coffee at least before you leave."

"Hmm… I think I have some time left," Mickey hummed. "Coffee sounds like a great idea."

* * *

Throughout Destiny Islands, the reconstruction was nearly completed by the latter months of summer. Villages were rebuilt, new families moved in, and everything appeared as if the Heartless assault months prior never occurred. Restaurants and parks sprouted throughout the region. Cities began to bustle with activity once again.

Sora and Kairi were sitting in a booth in a newly established café chain.

"Café Nautilus," said Sora. "Looks like it's a hit."

Customers of all ages, though mostly teens around Sora and Kairi's age group, packed the café. Lines were constantly in motion, seats were filled, yet there was always enough space for more people to maneuver around.

"The best hangout spot next to our _secret_ place," said Kairi.

Their hands rested in each others', a common sight after initiating the most gossiped relationship amongst their peers. At first it was new, but somewhat aggravating when the two of them became the center of too many conversations. But after a couple of months, the couple was accepted—and old news.

"No need to be shy anymore, right?" Kairi cooed.

"Eh, I never liked the attention," said Sora.

"That's a lie, Sora, you love being the center of attention," Kairi joked. "You were just too shy to be seen holding my hand."

"Aw, c'mon, Kairi, don't tell me you didn't feel a _little_ bit weird with everyone talking about us," said Sora.

"Everyone, meaning Selphie and her big mouth?" Kairi laughed. "Okay, maybe just a little."

"At least people are finally leaving us alone," Sora added. He sipped on his milkshake and suddenly grabbed his head. "Ugh, brain freeze."

"Better finish that up soon," said Kairi. "We're gonna be late for our study session this afternoon."

Sora groaned and placed his forehead on the table.

"At the rate we're goin', you can just teach me everything and I won't even have to go back to school."

"I can teach you everything up to where I am," Kairi said as she placed one hand on Sora's cheek. "Can't help you after that. That's too bad. You'll just have to join me for classes."

Kairi leaned over the table and gave Sora a peck on the cheek. The boy looked up and smiled his usual awkward smile. In a short while, the two of them left their empty glassware and payment on the table. Out into the warm ocean breeze-filled air, beneath the high afternoon summer sun, they waltzed on hand-in-hand, leaving all their past adventures and their struggles behind.

The sights and scenery were sorely missed. Even though months have passed since they returned, the tranquility that enveloped Destiny Islands taught them to never take the happiness for granted. Both Sora and Kairi made their way across the sandy shores, amidst the occasional cheerful greetings from local villagers. They were celebrities, the idolized warriors who have restored peace across worlds. Returning the greetings, they continued along, blending into the small groups of teens enjoying their summer break from school. On they went without troubles, concerns or worries. With their chins held high, their minds open and clear, they settled into the roles they seemed to have long forgotten: simple, just slightly above average teenagers.


End file.
